City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 5.8% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $105,800 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 $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,166 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.6% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,817 in Springfield | $94,502 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,166/yr.
52 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,166/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Baton Rouge → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $79,640 | $75,262 (+26.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $127,740 | $120,717 (+18.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $92,010 | $86,952 (+19.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $98,410 | $93,000 (+14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.