City comparison
Durham, NC vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 1.6% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $101,600 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.0% moving from Durham, NC to Springfield, MA ($111,147 → $120,094), while prices change by −1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.7% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,451 in Springfield | $101,573 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Springfield, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
74 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Durham, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Springfield, MA | Real change, Durham → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $69,642 | +9.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $84,260 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $100,992 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $120,094 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $141,915 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $79,640 | $80,893 (+57.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $127,740 | $129,749 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $92,010 | $93,457 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $98,410 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.