City comparison
Mobile, AL vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Mobile, AL (88.1) and Springfield, MO (88.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Mobile, AL goes as far as $100,600 in Springfield, MO.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $919 a month in Mobile, AL and $883 in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $972 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Springfield, MO.
- 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 Mobile, AL to Springfield, MO changes real buying power by −0.5%, purely from prices.
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much 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
| Mobile, AL | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.1 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,553 in Springfield | $99,450 in Mobile |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $919/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,000 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Mobile, AL MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Mobile, AL and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Mobile | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 60.1 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 84.2 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 88.1 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Mobile, AL → Springfield, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$972/yr.
67 Fair offer
Springfield, MO → Mobile, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$972/yr.
70 Strong 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 Mobile, AL to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Mobile, AL | Springfield, MO | Real change, Mobile → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Mobile, AL | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Mobile dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,970 | $49,380 | $49,109 (−19.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $102,350 | $101,787 (−16.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,130 | $73,020 | $72,619 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,490 | $79,370 | $78,934 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.