City comparison
Greeley, CO vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 4.3% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $104,300 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,238 in Greeley, CO. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 20% in Greeley, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,088 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Greeley, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Greeley, CO to Springfield, MA ($118,675 → $120,094), while prices change by −4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (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
| Greeley, CO | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,892 in Springfield | $104,284 in Greeley |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,238/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,070 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Greeley, CO MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Greeley, CO and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greeley | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.6 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greeley, CO → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,088/yr.
82 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,088/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greeley, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Greeley, CO to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greeley, CO | Springfield, MA | Real change, Greeley → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,642 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,260 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $100,992 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,094 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $141,915 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greeley, CO | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Greeley dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,160 | $79,640 | $83,052 (+38.1%) |
| Software Developers | $129,480 | $127,740 | $133,212 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,240 | $92,010 | $95,951 (+10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,300 | $98,410 | $102,626 (+6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.