City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 8.4% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $108,400 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA and $1,382 in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Springfield, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.7% moving from Modesto, CA to Springfield, MA ($133,060 → $120,094), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.2% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
- 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
| Modesto, CA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,271 in Springfield | $108,377 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
95 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Modesto → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $69,642 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $84,260 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $100,992 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $120,094 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $141,915 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $79,640 | $86,311 (−15.1%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $127,740 | $138,441 (+15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $92,010 | $99,718 (+19.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $98,410 | $106,654 (−19.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.