City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cincinnati, OH (95.4) and Springfield, MA (96.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH goes as far as $100,700 in Springfield, MA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.3% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Springfield, MA ($110,865 → $120,094), while prices change by +0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,725 in Springfield | $99,281 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/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 | 16% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Springfield, MA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
67 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
71 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Springfield, MA | Real change, Cincinnati → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $69,642 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $84,260 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $100,992 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $120,094 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $141,915 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $114,300 | $128,910 | $127,983 (+12.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $127,740 | $126,821 (+4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $92,010 | $91,348 (+13.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $98,410 | $97,702 (+16.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.