City comparison
Springfield, MO vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Springfield, MO (88.6) and Tuscaloosa, AL (87.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Springfield, MO goes as far as $99,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $972 a month in Tuscaloosa, AL versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Tuscaloosa, AL and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $972 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Springfield, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Springfield, MO to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much 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, MO | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.6 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,026 in Tuscaloosa | $100,984 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $883/mo | $972/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,780 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Springfield, MO and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 65.6 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 85.8 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 88.6 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MO → Tuscaloosa, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$972/yr.
72 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Springfield, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$972/yr.
66 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Springfield, MO is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Springfield, MO to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MO | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Springfield → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MO | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $84,690 | $99,460 | $100,438 (+18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $102,350 | $104,870 | $105,902 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,020 | $71,690 | $72,395 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,370 | $75,250 | $75,990 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.