City comparison
Jacksonville, FL vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Jacksonville, FL are 3.6% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $103,600 in Jacksonville, FL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,382 a month in Jacksonville, FL 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 Jacksonville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Jacksonville, FL to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.9% in real buying power.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (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
| Jacksonville, FL | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,559 in Springfield | $103,563 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,830 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
80 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jacksonville, FL 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 Jacksonville, FL to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Springfield, MA | Real change, Jacksonville → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +16.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +16.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +16.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +16.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +16.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,080 | $79,640 | $82,478 (+35.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $127,740 | $132,292 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $92,010 | $95,289 (+19.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $98,410 | $101,917 (+22.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.