City comparison
Louisville, KY vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Louisville, KY are 5.1% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $105,100 in Louisville, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,047 a month in Louisville, KY versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Louisville, KY and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $380 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Louisville, KY.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Louisville, KY to Springfield, MO changes real buying power by +5.1%, purely from prices.
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Louisville, KY | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,177 in Springfield | $105,067 in Louisville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,047/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,798 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,382 (KY) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,370 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Louisville | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 75.0 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 96.8 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Louisville, KY → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$380/yr.
85 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Louisville, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$380/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Louisville, KY to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Louisville, KY | Springfield, MO | Real change, Louisville → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Louisville, KY | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Louisville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,610 | $49,380 | $51,882 (−15.8%) |
| Software Developers | $110,270 | $102,350 | $107,537 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $73,020 | $76,720 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,850 | $79,370 | $83,392 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.