City comparison
Akron, OH vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 2.9% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $102,900 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 $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.1% moving from Akron, OH to Springfield, MA ($111,138 → $120,094), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,882 in Springfield | $97,199 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
60 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Springfield, MA | Real change, Akron → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $69,642 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $84,260 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $100,992 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $120,094 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $141,915 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $79,640 | $77,409 (−1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $127,740 | $124,162 (+17.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $92,010 | $89,432 (+13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $98,410 | $95,653 (+18.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.