City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 6.3% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $106,300 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA and $1,382 in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Springfield, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.3% moving from Fresno, CA to Springfield, MA ($106,973 → $120,094), while prices change by −6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.4% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,032 in Springfield | $106,347 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
89 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Fresno → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $69,642 | +19.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $84,260 | +19.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $100,992 | +19.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $120,094 | +19.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $141,915 | +19.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $79,640 | $84,695 (+7.5%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $127,740 | $135,848 (+5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $92,010 | $97,850 (+24.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $98,410 | $104,656 (−16.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.