City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 9.1% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $109,100 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN and $1,382 in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $497 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Springfield, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.5% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Springfield, MA ($116,038 → $120,094), while prices change by −8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.9% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,642 in Springfield | $109,120 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$497/yr.
97 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$497/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Springfield, MA | Real change, Minneapolis → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $69,642 | +12.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $84,260 | +12.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $100,992 | +12.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $120,094 | +12.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $141,915 | +12.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $79,640 | $86,903 (+9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $127,740 | $139,390 (+6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $92,010 | $100,402 (+16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $98,410 | $107,385 (+4.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.