City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 10.8% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $110,800 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $281 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Raleigh, NC to Springfield, MO ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.1% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
- 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
| Raleigh, NC | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,248 in Springfield | $110,805 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$281/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$281/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Springfield, MO | Real change, Raleigh → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $49,380 | $54,716 (−9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $102,350 | $113,409 (−14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $73,020 | $80,910 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $79,370 | $87,946 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.