City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 3.4% higher than in Greensboro, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greensboro, NC would need about $103,400 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 $1,213 in Greensboro, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 19% in Greensboro, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Greensboro, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Greensboro, NC to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.1% in real buying power.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (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
| Greensboro, NC | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,442 in Springfield | $96,673 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/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 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
58 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Greensboro, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greensboro, NC 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 Greensboro, NC to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Springfield, MA | Real change, Greensboro → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $79,640 | $76,990 (+28.9%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $127,740 | $123,490 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $92,010 | $88,949 (+11.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $98,410 | $95,136 (+14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.