City comparison
Springfield, MA vs Virginia Beach, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Virginia Beach, VA are 2.0% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $102,000 in Virginia Beach, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,512 a month in Virginia Beach, VA versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Virginia Beach, VA and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in MA and $4,936 in VA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.1% moving from Springfield, MA to Virginia Beach, VA ($120,094 → $108,019), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.8% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
- Virginia Beach, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Springfield, MA | Virginia Beach, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.1 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,957 in Virginia Beach | $98,080 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,512/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,930 | $49,430 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC |
Rent areas: Springfield, MA MSA and Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Springfield, MA and Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.8 | 99.8 |
| Goods | 97.0 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 155.0 | 89.6 |
| Other services | 101.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 96.1 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MA → Virginia Beach, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$156/yr.
63 Fair offer
Virginia Beach, VA → Springfield, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$156/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Springfield, MA is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Virginia Beach, VA is in Virginia Beach-Norfolk, VA-NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Springfield, MA to Virginia Beach, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MA | Virginia Beach, VA | Real change, Springfield → Virginia Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $62,640 | −11.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $75,788 | −11.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $90,838 | −11.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $108,019 | −11.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $127,646 | −11.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MA | Virginia Beach, VA | Virginia Beach pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $63,380 | $62,163 (−21.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,740 | $129,090 | $126,612 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,010 | $79,450 | $77,925 (−15.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,410 | $89,450 | $87,733 (−10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.