City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, OH (95.5) and Springfield, MA (96.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, OH goes as far as $100,600 in Springfield, MA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.1% moving from Columbus, OH to Springfield, MA ($111,065 → $120,094), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,620 in Springfield | $99,384 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Springfield, MA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
67 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Springfield, MA | Real change, Columbus → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $69,642 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $84,260 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $100,992 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $120,094 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $141,915 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $79,640 | $79,149 (+1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $127,740 | $126,953 (+3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $92,010 | $91,443 (+11.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $98,410 | $97,804 (+16.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.