City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 2.6% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $102,600 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 $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Columbia, SC to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.0% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (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
| Columbia, SC | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,561 in Springfield | $97,503 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$63/yr.
61 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$63/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Springfield, MA | Real change, Columbia → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $79,640 | $77,651 (+29.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $127,740 | $124,550 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $92,010 | $89,712 (+29.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $98,410 | $95,952 (+17.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.