City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Las Vegas, NV are 4.3% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $104,300 in Las Vegas, NV to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Las Vegas, NV and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.5% moving from Las Vegas, NV to Springfield, MA ($108,719 → $120,094), while prices change by −4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.2% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (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
| Las Vegas, NV | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,855 in Springfield | $104,324 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
82 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | Springfield, MA | Real change, Las Vegas → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $69,642 | +15.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $84,260 | +15.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $100,992 | +15.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $120,094 | +15.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $141,915 | +15.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $79,640 | $83,084 (+27.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $127,740 | $133,264 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $92,010 | $95,989 (+19.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $98,410 | $102,666 (−1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.