City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Colorado Springs, CO are 4.9% higher than in York, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in York, PA would need about $104,900 in Colorado Springs, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Colorado Springs, CO and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $622 a year higher in Colorado Springs, CO than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to York, PA ($109,246 → $121,785), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.9% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (about average)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Colorado Springs, CO | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,326 in York | $104,903 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → York, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$622/yr.
84 Strong offer
York, PA → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$622/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | York, PA | Real change, Colorado Springs → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $70,623 | +16.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $85,447 | +16.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $102,415 | +16.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $121,785 | +16.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $143,913 | +16.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | York, PA | York pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $79,730 | $83,639 (+36.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $114,600 | $120,219 (−10.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $75,160 | $78,845 (−7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $96,210 | $100,927 (+5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.