City comparison
Canton, OH vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 7.4% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $107,400 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 13% in Canton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Canton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.1% moving from Canton, OH to Springfield, MA ($111,138 → $120,094), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Canton, OH | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,444 in Springfield | $93,072 in Canton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $846/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,810 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Canton | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.1 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 96.9 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Canton, OH → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
47 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Canton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Canton, OH | Springfield, MA | Real change, Canton → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $69,642 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $84,260 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $100,992 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $120,094 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $141,915 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Canton, OH | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Canton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,940 | $79,640 | $74,123 (−4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $105,500 | $127,740 | $118,890 (+12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,170 | $92,010 | $85,636 (+18.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,610 | $98,410 | $91,592 (+15.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.