City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 7.9% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $107,900 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 $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,512 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Jackson, MS to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (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
| Jackson, MS | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,876 in Springfield | $92,699 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,512/yr.
46 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,512/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Jackson, MS to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Springfield, MA | Real change, Jackson → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $79,640 | $73,826 (+46.9%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $127,740 | $118,414 (+22.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $92,010 | $85,293 (+20.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $98,410 | $91,226 (+10.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.