City comparison
Kennewick, WA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kennewick, WA are 4.2% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $104,200 in Kennewick, WA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,268 in Kennewick, WA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 19% in Kennewick, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Kennewick, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Kennewick, WA to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by −4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.6% in real buying power.
- Kennewick, WA: price level 100.1 (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
| Kennewick, WA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.1 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,985 in Springfield | $104,183 in Kennewick |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,268/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,290 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Kennewick-Richland, WA and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kennewick | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.8 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 93.6 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.1 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kennewick, WA → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
82 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Kennewick, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kennewick, WA 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 Kennewick, WA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kennewick, WA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Kennewick → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +17.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +17.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +17.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +17.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +17.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kennewick, WA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Kennewick dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,380 | $79,640 | $82,971 (−17.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,800 | $127,740 | $133,083 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,280 | $92,010 | $95,859 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,410 | $98,410 | $102,526 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.