City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 9.5% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $109,500 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,088 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Boulder, CO to Springfield, MA ($118,675 → $120,094), while prices change by −8.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.8% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (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
| Boulder, CO | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,311 in Springfield | $109,516 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,088/yr.
98 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,088/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Springfield, MA | Real change, Boulder → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,642 | +10.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,260 | +10.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $100,992 | +10.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,094 | +10.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $141,915 | +10.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $79,640 | $87,218 (+8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $127,740 | $139,896 (−15.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $92,010 | $100,766 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $98,410 | $107,775 (+4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.