City comparison
Madison, WI vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 1.3% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $101,300 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $861 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Madison, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Madison, WI to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by −1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.3% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,740 in Springfield | $101,276 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Springfield, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$861/yr.
73 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Madison, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$861/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI 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 Madison, WI to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Springfield, MA | Real change, Madison → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +14.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +14.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +14.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +14.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +14.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $79,640 | $80,656 (+26.6%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $127,740 | $129,370 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $92,010 | $93,184 (+14.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $98,410 | $99,666 (−1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.