City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 3.7% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $103,700 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 $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.3% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Springfield, MA ($106,955 → $120,094), while prices change by +3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.3% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,658 in Springfield | $96,471 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
58 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Springfield, MA | Real change, Corpus Christi → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $69,642 | +8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $84,260 | +8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $100,992 | +8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $120,094 | +8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $141,915 | +8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $79,640 | $76,829 (+27.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $127,740 | $123,232 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $92,010 | $88,763 (+17.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $98,410 | $94,937 (+14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.