City comparison
Roanoke, VA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 2.6% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $102,600 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,936 a year in VA and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Roanoke, VA to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.0% in real buying power.
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- 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
| Roanoke, VA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,610 in Springfield | $97,457 in Roanoke |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,053/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,140 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Roanoke, VA and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Roanoke | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 88.9 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Roanoke, VA → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$156/yr.
61 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$156/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Roanoke, VA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Roanoke, VA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Roanoke, VA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Roanoke → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Roanoke, VA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Roanoke dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,010 | $79,640 | $77,615 (+25.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,110 | $127,740 | $124,491 (+2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,240 | $92,010 | $89,670 (+16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,090 | $98,410 | $95,907 (+19.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.