City comparison
Springfield, MA vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 3.8% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $103,800 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 $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Springfield, MA to Waco, TX ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.0% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Springfield, MA | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.1 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,345 in Waco | $103,794 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,930 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Springfield, MA MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Springfield, MA and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.8 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 97.0 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 155.0 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 101.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 96.1 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MA → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
81 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Springfield, MA is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Springfield, MA to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MA | Waco, TX | Real change, Springfield → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MA | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $59,100 | $61,342 (−23.0%) |
| Software Developers | $127,740 | $123,080 | $127,749 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,010 | $76,140 | $79,028 (−14.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,410 | $92,890 | $96,414 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.