City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 8.8% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $108,800 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $394 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Baltimore, MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.4% moving from Baltimore, MD to Springfield, MA ($121,785 → $120,094), while prices change by −8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.3% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,936 in Springfield | $108,772 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$394/yr.
96 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$394/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Springfield, MA | Real change, Baltimore → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $69,642 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $84,260 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $100,992 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $120,094 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $141,915 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $79,640 | $86,626 (+13.4%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $127,740 | $138,945 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $92,010 | $100,081 (+17.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $98,410 | $107,042 (+7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.