City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albuquerque, NM (95.5) and Springfield, MA (96.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM goes as far as $100,500 in Springfield, MA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,211 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Springfield, MA ($107,592 → $120,094), while prices change by +0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.0% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albuquerque, NM | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,539 in Springfield | $99,464 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Springfield, MA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,211/yr.
67 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Albuquerque, NM
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,211/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Springfield, MA | Real change, Albuquerque → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $69,642 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $84,260 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $100,992 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $120,094 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $141,915 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $79,640 | $79,213 (+4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $127,740 | $127,055 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $92,010 | $91,517 (+14.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $98,410 | $97,882 (+1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.