City comparison
Springfield, MA vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 5.0% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $105,000 in Tampa, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, 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 Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Springfield, MA to Tampa, FL ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.6% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Springfield, MA | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.1 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,027 in Tampa | $95,214 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,930 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Springfield, MA MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Springfield, MA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.8 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 97.0 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 155.0 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 101.2 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 96.1 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MA → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
53 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Springfield, MA is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Springfield, MA to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MA | Tampa, FL | Real change, Springfield → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −15.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −15.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −15.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −15.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −15.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MA | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $60,120 | $57,242 (−28.1%) |
| Software Developers | $127,740 | $130,450 | $124,206 (−2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,010 | $78,990 | $75,209 (−18.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,410 | $85,470 | $81,379 (−17.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.