City comparison
Boston, MA vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 10.6% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $110,600 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,507 in Richmond, VA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 24% in Richmond, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.8% moving from Boston, MA to Richmond, VA ($120,548 → $111,183), while prices change by −9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,387 in Richmond | $110,636 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$156/yr.
100 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax −$156/yr.
16 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Richmond, VA | Real change, Boston → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,475 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $78,009 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,499 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,183 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,385 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $61,290 | $67,809 (−30.8%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $132,120 | $146,172 (−12.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $84,220 | $93,177 (−7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $93,580 | $103,533 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.