City comparison
Merced, CA vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 10.9% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $110,900 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Merced, CA versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Merced, CA and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,308 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Springfield, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −20.0% moving from Merced, CA to Springfield, MO ($133,060 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.3% in real buying power.
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
- 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
| Merced, CA | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.3 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,140 in Springfield | $110,939 in Merced |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,220 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Merced, CA MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Merced, CA and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Merced | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.6 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 158.3 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 98.3 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Merced, CA → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,308/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,308/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Merced, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Merced, CA to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Merced, CA | Springfield, MO | Real change, Merced → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $61,722 | −11.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $74,678 | −11.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $89,508 | −11.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $106,437 | −11.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $125,776 | −11.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Merced, CA | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Merced dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,120 | $49,380 | $54,782 (−45.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $102,350 | $113,546 (−14.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,420 | $73,020 | $81,007 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,620 | $79,370 | $88,052 (−33.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.