City comparison
McAllen, TX vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MO are 3.1% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $103,100 in Springfield, MO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $847 a month in McAllen, TX and $883 in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in McAllen, TX.
- 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 McAllen, TX to Springfield, MO changes real buying power by −3.0%, purely from prices.
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (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
| McAllen, TX | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 85.9 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,132 in Springfield | $96,963 in McAllen |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $847/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $35,830 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | McAllen | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 55.9 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 81.2 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 85.9 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
McAllen, TX → Springfield, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
59 Fair offer
Springfield, MO → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
79 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 McAllen, TX to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | McAllen, TX | Springfield, MO | Real change, McAllen → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | McAllen, TX | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in McAllen dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,110 | $49,380 | $47,881 (−24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $116,120 | $102,350 | $99,242 (−14.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $64,470 | $73,020 | $70,803 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,540 | $79,370 | $76,960 (−4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.