City comparison
Springfield, MA vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 9.5% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $109,500 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 $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,735 in AL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Springfield, MA to Tuscaloosa, AL ($120,094 → $107,510), while prices change by −8.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Springfield, MA | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.1 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,319 in Tuscaloosa | $109,506 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,930 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Springfield, MA MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Springfield, MA and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.8 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 97.0 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 155.0 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 101.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 96.1 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MA → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$45/yr.
98 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$45/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Springfield, MA is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Springfield, MA to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MA | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Springfield → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $62,344 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $75,431 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $90,410 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $107,510 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $127,044 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MA | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $60,220 | $65,945 (−17.2%) |
| Software Developers | $127,740 | $104,870 | $114,839 (−10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,010 | $71,690 | $78,505 (−14.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,410 | $75,250 | $82,403 (−16.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.