City comparison
Gulfport, MS is about 150 miles (225 km) from Jackson, MS in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 175 miles, or about 3 h behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Gulfport, MS to Jackson, MS takes about 18 min, covering roughly 150 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Jackson has a population of 153,271, vs 72,524 in Gulfport — about 2.1× larger by population. By land area, Jackson covers about 110 sq mi vs 56 sq mi for Gulfport.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Gulfport | Jackson | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $988/mo | $980/mo | 0.8% higher in Gulfport |
| Median home value | $158,300 | $104,900 | 50.9% higher in Gulfport |
| Median household income | $43,499 | $42,193 | 3.1% higher in Gulfport |
| Groceries index | 96.4 | 96.4 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 78.0 | 79.6 | 2.1% higher in Jackson |
| Transportation index | 96.5 | 96.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 96.0 | 96.0 | ≈ equal |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Gulfport, you'd need $98,688 in Jackson to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Jackson, MS is about 1.3% cheaper overall than Gulfport, MS, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 4% higher in Gulfport than in Jackson. If you earn $80,000 in Gulfport, you'd need about $78,950 in Jackson to keep the same standard of living.