City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Nashville, TN are 8.8% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $108,800 in Nashville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,763 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Nashville, TN.
- 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 Nashville, TN to Springfield, MO changes real buying power by +8.8%, purely from prices.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (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
| Nashville, TN | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,952 in Springfield | $108,752 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,763/yr.
96 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Nashville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,763/yr.
44 Weak 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 Nashville, TN to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Springfield, MO | Real change, Nashville → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +8.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +8.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +8.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +8.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +8.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $49,380 | $53,702 (−12.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $102,350 | $111,308 (−12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $73,020 | $79,411 (+1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $79,370 | $86,316 (+2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.