City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 3.8% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $103,800 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 $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,017 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Kansas City, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.0% moving from Kansas City, MO to Springfield, MA ($108,173 → $120,094), while prices change by +3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.0% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (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
| Kansas City, MO | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,801 in Springfield | $96,338 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,017/yr.
57 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,017/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Springfield, MA | Real change, Kansas City → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $69,642 | +7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $84,260 | +7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $100,992 | +7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $120,094 | +7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $141,915 | +7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $79,640 | $76,723 (+25.7%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $127,740 | $123,062 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $92,010 | $88,640 (+10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $98,410 | $94,806 (+14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.