City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Buffalo, NY (95.8) and Springfield, MA (96.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Buffalo, NY goes as far as $100,200 in Springfield, MA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.9% moving from Buffalo, NY to Springfield, MA ($111,301 → $120,094), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.7% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,226 in Springfield | $99,774 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Springfield, MA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
68 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Buffalo, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Springfield, MA | Real change, Buffalo → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $69,642 | +7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $84,260 | +7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $100,992 | +7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $120,094 | +7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $141,915 | +7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $79,640 | $79,460 (+3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $127,740 | $127,451 (−0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $92,010 | $91,802 (+11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $98,410 | $98,188 (−0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.