What does a Cooks, Restaurant salary really buy you in Mississippi?
Mississippi is 12.7% cheaper than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
Mississippi's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 87.3, meaning prices are 12.7% lower the national average. A Cooks, Restaurant earning $29,520 in Mississippi has the equivalent purchasing power of $33,814 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for Mississippi's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $21,200 | $24,284 | +$3,084 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $25,100 | $28,751 | +$3,651 |
| Median (P50) | $29,520 | $33,814 | +$4,294 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $33,860 | $38,785 | +$4,925 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $36,990 | $42,371 | +$5,381 |
A Cooks, Restaurant in Mississippi earns $29,520 on paper, but low living costs mean your money goes 15% further — like earning $33,814 in an average-cost state. This makes Mississippi one of the best value states for this occupation.
Where does Cooks, Restaurant salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
Mississippi ranks #48 out of 50 states for Cooks, Restaurant after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Cooks, Restaurant in Mississippi earns a median salary of $29,520 per year. After adjusting for Mississippi's cost of living (RPP=87.3), the real purchasing power is $33,814 — a +14.5% difference.
Mississippi's cost of living is 12.7% lower than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for Mississippi is 87.3 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Cooks, Restaurant in Mississippi: $29,520 x (100 / 87.3) = $33,814. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
From a purchasing power perspective, yes. A Cooks, Restaurant in Mississippi enjoys 14.5% more buying power than the nominal salary suggests, because living costs are below the national average. However, other factors like job availability, career growth, and quality of life also matter.