City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 18.0% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $118,000 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $624 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Springfield, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −12.6% moving from Baltimore, MD to Springfield, MO ($121,785 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.1% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,781 in Springfield | $117,951 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$624/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$624/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Springfield, MO | Real change, Baltimore → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $61,722 | +3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $74,678 | +3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $89,508 | +3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $106,437 | +3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $125,776 | +3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,400 | $49,380 | $58,244 (−23.8%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $102,350 | $120,723 (−13.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $73,020 | $86,128 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $79,370 | $93,618 (−6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.