City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 8.2% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $108,200 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Buffalo, NY and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,097 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Springfield, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Springfield, MO ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,426 in Springfield | $108,194 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,097/yr.
94 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,097/yr.
45 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Springfield, MO | Real change, Buffalo → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $49,380 | $53,426 (−30.2%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $102,350 | $110,737 (−13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $73,020 | $79,004 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $79,370 | $85,874 (−13.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.