City comparison
Atlanta, GA vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 13.0% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $113,000 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $805 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Springfield, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.4% moving from Atlanta, GA to Springfield, MO ($112,556 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.8% in real buying power.
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlanta, GA | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,534 in Springfield | $112,951 in Atlanta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,660/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,170 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlanta | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.0 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 100.4 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 96.2 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlanta, GA → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$805/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$805/yr.
35 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlanta, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlanta, GA to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlanta, GA | Springfield, MO | Real change, Atlanta → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $61,722 | +6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $74,678 | +6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $89,508 | +6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $106,437 | +6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $125,776 | +6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlanta, GA | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Atlanta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,570 | $49,380 | $55,775 (−27.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,960 | $102,350 | $115,606 (−13.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,820 | $73,020 | $82,477 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $79,370 | $89,650 (−10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.