City comparison
Brownsville, TX vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MO are 3.0% higher than in Brownsville, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Brownsville, TX would need about $103,000 in Springfield, MO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $866 a month in Brownsville, TX and $883 in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Brownsville, TX.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Brownsville, TX to Springfield, MO changes real buying power by −2.9%, purely from prices.
- Brownsville, TX: price level 86.0 (much cheaper)
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Brownsville, TX | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 86.0 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,036 in Springfield | $97,054 in Brownsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $866/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $36,490 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Brownsville-Harlingen, TX and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Brownsville | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 57.7 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 86.0 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Brownsville, TX → Springfield, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
60 Fair offer
Springfield, MO → Brownsville, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Brownsville, TX to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Brownsville, TX | Springfield, MO | Real change, Brownsville → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Brownsville, TX | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Brownsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,350 | $49,380 | $47,925 (−24.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,990 | $102,350 | $99,334 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $66,440 | $73,020 | $70,869 (+6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,090 | $79,370 | $77,032 (−5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.