Is Mississippi or New York a better state to live in?

Based on our composite scoring, New York ranks higher overall. Mississippi is #48 and New York is #25 out of 50 states. Mississippi wins 2 of 11 categories, while New York wins 9.

How does Mississippi compare to New York in cost of living?

Mississippi has a cost of living index of 87, while New York's is 108 (100 = national average). Mississippi is more affordable.

Which state is safer, Mississippi or New York?

Mississippi has 270 violent crimes per 100K residents, vs 364 in New York. Mississippi has the lower crime rate.

What are the median incomes in Mississippi vs New York?

Mississippi's median household income is $52,985, compared to $81,386 in New York.

Mississippi vs New York: Side-by-Side (2026)

Mississippi

#48·South

31.5Composite Score

VSNew York leads

New York

#25·Northeast

58.4Composite Score

2MS wins

9NY wins

Category Overlay

MississippiNew York

Category Scores

💰 EconomyNY +17.0

26.7

43.7

🛡️ SafetyNY +2.3

63.7

66.0

🏥 HealthNY +67.4

6.1

73.5

🎓 EducationNY +55.1

4.1

59.2

💼 Fiscal HealthNY +0.7

43.8

44.5

📈 GrowthMS +8.5

28.4

19.9

🏠 AffordabilityMS +58.5

93.9

35.4

🌿 EnvironmentNY +35.7

22.7

58.4

🏞️ Outdoor AccessNY +15.5

14.7

30.2

🚇 TransportationNY +33.8

26.7

60.5

🎭 LivabilityNY +39.8

15.3

55.1

Key Metrics Comparison

Metric	Mississippi	New York	Winner
Population	2,939,690	19,571,216	NY
Median Income	$52,985	$81,386	NY
Unemployment	3.7%	4.5%	MS
Violent Crime Rate(per 100K)	270	364	MS
Cost of Living(100 = national avg)	87	108	MS
HS Graduation Rate	87%	85%	MS
Life Expectancy	73.6 yr	79.1 yr	NY
Pop Growth	+0.1%	+0.4%	NY

Mississippi vs New York: How Do They Compare?

Mississippi ranks #48 overall with a composite score of 31.5, earning a D grade. New York sits at #25 with 58.4 and a B grade. New York has the edge overall, winning 9 of 11 categories.

On the economic front, Mississippi has 3.7% unemployment and a $52,985 median income, while New York reports 4.5% unemployment and $81,386 median income.

For safety, Mississippi's violent crime rate is 270 per 100K compared to 364 in New York. Cost of living favors Mississippi with an index of 87 vs 108.

Explore These States

Mississippi Full Profile31.5 New York Full Profile58.4 Compare Other States→

Data Sources

📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS (Dec 2025)📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 📎FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023 📎America's Health Rankings, 2025 📎WalletHub/NAEP, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 📎Cook Political Report, PVI 2024 📎Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures 2025 📎ALEC Rich States Poor States, 2025 📎WalletHub Tax Burden Study, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau / FHFA, 2025 📎BEA Regional Price Parities, 2023 📎EPA AirData, Median AQI by County 2024 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, 2025 📎U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration 2024 📎FCC / BroadbandNow, Broadband Access 2025 📎National Park Service API, 2024 📎USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US), 2024 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2023 (Commuting)📎FHWA Highway Statistics, 2023 📎U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2022 📎EIA State Electricity Profiles, 2024 📎EIA Natural Gas Prices, 2024 📎DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2023 📎BEA Regional Price Parities (Food), 2023 📎NCES Common Core of Data (CCD), 2023-24 📎EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates, 2021-22 📎NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33), 2022-23 📎BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9), 2023 📎NASBO Fiscal Survey of States, FY2023 📎Census Bureau State Government Finances, FY2022 📎Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50, FY2023 📎Pew Charitable Trusts, FY2022 📎S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia, 2025 📎Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES (May 2023)📎IRS Statistics of Income, State-to-State Migration 2022-2023