City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Milwaukee, WI (96.9) and Springfield, MA (96.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI goes as far as $99,100 in Springfield, MA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $861 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.9% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Springfield, MA ($111,310 → $120,094), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.9% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,096 in Springfield | $100,912 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/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 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Springfield, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$861/yr.
72 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Milwaukee, WI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$861/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Springfield, MA | Real change, Milwaukee → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $69,642 | +8.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $84,260 | +8.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $100,992 | +8.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $120,094 | +8.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $141,915 | +8.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $79,640 | $80,366 (+30.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $127,740 | $128,905 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $92,010 | $92,849 (+15.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $98,410 | $99,307 (+2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.