City comparison
Olympia, WA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 7.9% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $107,900 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Olympia, WA to Springfield, MA ($119,630 → $120,094), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.3% in real buying power.
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (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
| Olympia, WA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.7 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,660 in Springfield | $107,921 in Olympia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,682/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,960 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Olympia | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.7 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 91.7 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 103.7 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Olympia, WA → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
94 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
45 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Olympia, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Olympia, WA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Olympia, WA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Olympia → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $69,642 | +8.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $84,260 | +8.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $100,992 | +8.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $120,094 | +8.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $141,915 | +8.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Olympia, WA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Olympia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $104,650 | $79,640 | $85,948 (−17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $124,060 | $127,740 | $137,858 (+11.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,470 | $92,010 | $99,298 (+5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,020 | $98,410 | $106,205 (−15.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.