City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 7.6% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $107,600 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,489 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.9% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Springfield, MA ($111,338 → $120,094), while prices change by −7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.0% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (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
| Phoenix, AZ | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,978 in Springfield | $107,552 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,489/yr.
92 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$2,489/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Springfield, MA | Real change, Phoenix → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $69,642 | +16.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $84,260 | +16.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $100,992 | +16.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $120,094 | +16.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $141,915 | +16.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $79,640 | $85,655 (+44.7%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $127,740 | $137,388 (+4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $92,010 | $98,959 (+22.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $98,410 | $105,842 (+5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.