City comparison
Springfield, MA vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 4.4% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $104,400 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 $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Springfield, MA to Winston, NC ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.5% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Springfield, MA | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.1 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,817 in Winston | $104,365 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,930 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Springfield, MA MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Springfield, MA and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.8 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 97.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 155.0 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 101.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 96.1 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MA → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
82 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Springfield, MA is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Springfield, MA to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MA | Winston, NC | Real change, Springfield → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MA | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $56,510 | $58,977 (−25.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,740 | $124,130 | $129,549 (+1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,010 | $78,950 | $82,396 (−10.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,410 | $86,120 | $89,879 (−8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.