City comparison
Houston, TX vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Houston, TX are 2.7% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $102,700 in Houston, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,323 a month in Houston, TX and $1,382 in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Houston, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Houston, TX to Springfield, MA ($122,749 → $120,094), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Houston, TX: price level 98.6 (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
| Houston, TX | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.6 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,396 in Springfield | $102,673 in Houston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,323/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,410 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Houston-The Woodlands, TX | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Houston | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.5 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 95.3 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 95.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 98.6 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Houston, TX → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
77 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Houston, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Houston, TX is in the Houston-The Woodlands, TX pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Houston, TX to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Houston, TX | Springfield, MA | Real change, Houston → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,181 | $69,642 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $86,123 | $84,260 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $103,225 | $100,992 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $122,749 | $120,094 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $145,052 | $141,915 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Houston, TX | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Houston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,500 | $79,640 | $81,769 (+26.8%) |
| Software Developers | $129,440 | $127,740 | $131,155 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $92,010 | $94,470 (+11.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,830 | $98,410 | $101,041 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.