City comparison
College Station, TX vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in College Station, TX are 2.7% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $102,700 in College Station, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in College Station, TX versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in College Station, TX and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in College Station, 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 College Station, TX to Springfield, MO changes real buying power by +2.7%, purely from prices.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (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
| College Station, TX | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,399 in Springfield | $102,671 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/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 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
77 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → College Station, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
61 Fair 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 College Station, TX to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Springfield, MO | Real change, College Station → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $49,380 | $50,699 (−12.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $102,350 | $105,084 (+3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $73,020 | $74,970 (+4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $79,370 | $81,490 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.