City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 4.5% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $104,500 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,110 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.7% moving from Omaha, NE to Springfield, MA ($107,501 → $120,094), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much 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
| Omaha, NE | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,515 in Springfield | $95,680 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,110/yr.
55 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,110/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Springfield, MA | Real change, Omaha → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $69,642 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $84,260 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $100,992 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $120,094 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $141,915 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $79,640 | $76,199 (+21.6%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $127,740 | $122,221 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $92,010 | $88,035 (+14.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $98,410 | $94,159 (+11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.