City comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Port St. Lucie, FL are 4.3% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $104,300 in Port St. Lucie, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,467 a month in Port St. Lucie, FL versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Port St. Lucie, FL and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.9% moving from Port St. Lucie, FL to Springfield, MA ($113,356 → $120,094), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.5% in real buying power.
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (about average)
- 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
| Port St. Lucie, FL | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,842 in Springfield | $104,338 in Port St. Lucie |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,467/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,490 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Port St. Lucie, FL MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Port St. Lucie, FL and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Port St. Lucie | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.6 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 87.0 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Port St. Lucie, FL → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
82 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Port St. Lucie, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Port St. Lucie, FL to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Springfield, MA | Real change, Port St. Lucie → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $69,642 | +10.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $84,260 | +10.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $100,992 | +10.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $120,094 | +10.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $141,915 | +10.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Port St. Lucie dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $53,610 | $79,640 | $83,095 (+55.0%) |
| Software Developers | $128,510 | $127,740 | $133,281 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,430 | $92,010 | $96,001 (+20.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,090 | $98,410 | $102,679 (+25.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.