City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 2.9% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $102,900 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $600 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Atlantic City, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.4% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Springfield, MA ($117,284 → $120,094), while prices change by −2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- 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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,172 in Springfield | $102,911 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$600/yr.
78 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$600/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Springfield, MA | Real change, Atlantic City → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $69,642 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $84,260 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $100,992 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $120,094 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $141,915 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $79,640 | $81,958 (+1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $127,740 | $131,458 (+3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $92,010 | $94,688 (+14.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $98,410 | $101,274 (+2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.