City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 7.6% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $107,600 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 $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.7% moving from Columbus, GA to Springfield, MA ($112,556 → $120,094), while prices change by +7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.8% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much 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
| Columbus, GA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,576 in Springfield | $92,958 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$213/yr.
47 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$213/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Columbus → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $69,642 | −0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $84,260 | −0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $100,992 | −0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $120,094 | −0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $141,915 | −0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $79,640 | $74,031 (+20.7%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $127,740 | $118,744 (+2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $92,010 | $85,530 (+16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $98,410 | $91,480 (+10.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.