City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 2.7% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $102,700 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,212 in Harrisburg, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 19% in Harrisburg, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,710 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.6% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Springfield, MA ($108,592 → $120,094), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.6% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (about average)
- 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
| Harrisburg, PA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,376 in Springfield | $102,695 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,710/yr.
77 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,710/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Harrisburg → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $69,642 | +13.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $84,260 | +13.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $100,992 | +13.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $120,094 | +13.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $141,915 | +13.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $79,640 | $81,786 (+6.0%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $127,740 | $131,183 (+19.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $92,010 | $94,490 (+23.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $98,410 | $101,062 (+4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.