City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in El Paso, TX are 1.5% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $101,500 in El Paso, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,013 a month in El Paso, TX versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in El Paso, 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 El Paso, 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 El Paso, TX to Springfield, MO changes real buying power by +1.5%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (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
| El Paso, TX | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,524 in Springfield | $101,498 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/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 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Springfield, MO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
73 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → El Paso, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
64 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 El Paso, TX to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Springfield, MO | Real change, El Paso → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $105,770 | $84,690 | $85,959 (−18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $102,350 | $103,883 (−18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $73,020 | $74,114 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $79,370 | $80,559 (−6.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.