City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 2.4% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $102,400 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID and $1,382 in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $588 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Boise City, ID.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Boise City, ID to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by −2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.6% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (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
| Boise City, ID | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,632 in Springfield | $102,426 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$588/yr.
76 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$588/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Springfield, MA | Real change, Boise City → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +15.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +15.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +15.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +15.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +15.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $79,640 | $81,572 (+33.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $127,740 | $130,838 (−0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $92,010 | $94,242 (+22.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $98,410 | $100,797 (+3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.