City comparison
New York, NY vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 27.1% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $127,100 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,097 a year higher in New York, NY than in Springfield, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from New York, NY to Springfield, MO ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −21.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.8% in real buying power.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much 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 York, NY | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $78,698 in Springfield | $127,068 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +27.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,097/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −21.3%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$1,097/yr.
11 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New York, NY 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 York, NY to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | Springfield, MO | Real change, New York → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | +7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | +7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | +7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | +7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | +7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $49,380 | $62,746 (−35.2%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $102,350 | $130,054 (−22.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $73,020 | $92,785 (−12.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $79,370 | $100,854 (−15.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.