City comparison
Boston, MA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 12.7% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $112,700 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 $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- Both are in MA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $4,780 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Boston, MA to Springfield, MA ($120,548 → $120,094), while prices change by −11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.3% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much 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
| Boston, MA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,727 in Springfield | $112,705 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Boston → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,642 | +12.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $84,260 | +12.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $100,992 | +12.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $120,094 | +12.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $141,915 | +12.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $79,640 | $89,759 (−8.5%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $127,740 | $143,970 (−13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $92,010 | $103,700 (+3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $98,410 | $110,913 (+4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.