City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 2.3% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $102,300 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 $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.1% moving from Cleveland, OH to Springfield, MA ($111,138 → $120,094), while prices change by +2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,276 in Springfield | $97,774 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
62 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Springfield, MA | Real change, Cleveland → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $69,642 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $84,260 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $100,992 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $120,094 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $141,915 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $79,640 | $77,867 (+1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $127,740 | $124,897 (+12.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $92,010 | $89,962 (+12.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $98,410 | $96,220 (+14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.