City comparison
Lafayette, LA vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MO are 1.6% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $101,600 in Springfield, MO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $898 a month in Lafayette, LA and $883 in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,149 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Lafayette, LA.
- 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 Lafayette, LA to Springfield, MO changes real buying power by −1.6%, purely from prices.
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (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
| Lafayette, LA | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 87.2 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,578 in Springfield | $98,447 in Lafayette |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $898/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $41,780 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lafayette, LA and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lafayette | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.8 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 87.2 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lafayette, LA → Springfield, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,149/yr.
64 Fair offer
Springfield, MO → Lafayette, LA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,149/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
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 Lafayette, LA to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lafayette, LA | Springfield, MO | Real change, Lafayette → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lafayette, LA | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Lafayette dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $47,770 | $49,380 | $48,613 (+1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $109,010 | $102,350 | $100,760 (−7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $67,630 | $73,020 | $71,886 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,960 | $79,370 | $78,137 (−4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.