City comparison
New Haven, CT vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New Haven, CT are 18.0% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $118,000 in New Haven, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,591 a month in New Haven, CT versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in New Haven, CT and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,925 a year in CT and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from New Haven, CT to Springfield, MO ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- New Haven, CT: price level 104.6 (pricier)
- 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
| New Haven, CT | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.6 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,723 in Springfield | $118,032 in New Haven |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,591/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,060 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: New Haven, CT MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: New Haven, CT and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New Haven | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 124.3 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 144.8 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 104.6 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New Haven, CT → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$162/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → New Haven, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$162/yr.
37 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New Haven, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from New Haven, CT to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New Haven, CT | Springfield, MO | Real change, New Haven → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New Haven, CT | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in New Haven dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,820 | $49,380 | $58,284 (−27.0%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $102,350 | $120,806 (−9.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,960 | $73,020 | $86,187 (−9.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $104,490 | $79,370 | $93,682 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.