Is Gulfport cheaper than Montgomery?

They are about even — the overall cost of living in the Gulfport and Montgomery metros is within 3% of each other (BEA Regional Price Parities), so neither is meaningfully cheaper.

Which has higher household income, Gulfport or Montgomery?

Household incomes are similar — $65,256 in the Gulfport metro versus $66,706 in Montgomery (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).

Does a paycheck go further in Gulfport or Montgomery?

It is roughly a wash. After adjusting income for local prices, a typical paycheck is worth about the same in both metros ($72,502 versus $74,381).

Which has cheaper rent, Gulfport or Montgomery?

Rents are close — $1,146/mo in the Gulfport metro versus $1,141/mo in Montgomery (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).

Gulfport vs Montgomery

Metro-area medians — Gulfport-Biloxi, MS Metro Area vs Montgomery, AL Metro Area — not the cities proper.

Montgomery comes out ahead, winning 6 of the 6 clearly-decided measures.

Gulfport and Montgomery are closely matched on both cost of living and household income. Adjusted for local prices, a typical paycheck stretches about as far in either.

For your salary & household

Enter your pay and household size to see what it's really worth here — the numbers update live and the link stays shareable.

Annual salary (gross)

Household size

Gulfport, MS

$58,555

take-home / yr · 22% to tax

$65,056

real value after local prices

Montgomery, AL

$57,754

take-home / yr · 23% to tax

$64,398

real value after local prices

On $75,000 for just you, Gulfport leaves you about $658/yr better off after tax and local prices.

Take-home estimates a single filer taking the standard deduction (2025 federal brackets, FICA, and state income tax) and isn't tax advice. “Real value” rebases take-home to average U.S. prices using the BEA cost-of-living index; the per-person figure uses the OECD square-root equivalence scale.

Measure

Gulfport

Montgomery

Livability (CityLedger)

36/100

47/100

Cost of living (price level, US = 100)

90.0

89.7

Cost-adjusted income (pay's real value)

$72,502

$74,381

Median household income

$65,256

$66,706

Median rent

$1,146/mo

$1,141/mo

Median home value

$227,600

$220,500

Unemployment

4.8%

3.5%

Bachelor's degree or higher

29.5%

33.2%

Average commute

27.2 min

24.8 min

Air quality (median AQI)

Avg temperature

68°F

66°F

Choose Gulfport for

No clear edge

Full Gulfport profile →

Choose Montgomery for

+ Livability (CityLedger)
+ Median home value
+ Unemployment
+ Bachelor's degree or higher
+ Average commute
+ Air quality (median AQI)

Full Montgomery profile →

Gulfport vs Montgomery — frequently asked

Is Gulfport cheaper than Montgomery?: They are about even — the overall cost of living in the Gulfport and Montgomery metros is within 3% of each other (BEA Regional Price Parities), so neither is meaningfully cheaper.
Which has higher household income, Gulfport or Montgomery?: Household incomes are similar — $65,256 in the Gulfport metro versus $66,706 in Montgomery (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).
Does a paycheck go further in Gulfport or Montgomery?: It is roughly a wash. After adjusting income for local prices, a typical paycheck is worth about the same in both metros ($72,502 versus $74,381).
Which has cheaper rent, Gulfport or Montgomery?: Rents are close — $1,146/mo in the Gulfport metro versus $1,141/mo in Montgomery (U.S. Census Bureau, ACS).