City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 4.4% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $104,400 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $781 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Detroit, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Springfield, MA ($117,402 → $120,094), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.8% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,776 in Springfield | $104,411 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$781/yr.
83 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$781/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Springfield, MA | Real change, Detroit → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $69,642 | +6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $84,260 | +6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $100,992 | +6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $120,094 | +6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $141,915 | +6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $79,640 | $83,153 (+27.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $127,740 | $133,374 (+2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $92,010 | $96,068 (+19.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $98,410 | $102,751 (+5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.