City comparison
Pensacola, FL vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pensacola, FL are 10.3% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $110,300 in Pensacola, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,257 a month in Pensacola, FL versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Pensacola, FL and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Pensacola, FL.
- 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 Pensacola, FL to Springfield, MO changes real buying power by +10.3%, purely from prices.
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (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
| Pensacola, FL | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.7 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,655 in Springfield | $110,309 in Pensacola |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,257/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,240 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pensacola | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.8 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 88.5 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 97.7 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pensacola, FL → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Pensacola, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
40 Weak 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 Pensacola, FL to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pensacola, FL | Springfield, MO | Real change, Pensacola → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pensacola, FL | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Pensacola dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,360 | $49,380 | $54,470 (+8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $108,430 | $102,350 | $112,901 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,410 | $73,020 | $80,547 (+5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,890 | $79,370 | $87,552 (+12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.