City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Palm Bay, FL are 4.1% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $104,100 in Palm Bay, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Palm Bay, FL versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Palm Bay, FL and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.0% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Springfield, MA ($107,228 → $120,094), while prices change by −3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.6% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (about average)
- 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
| Palm Bay, FL | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,056 in Springfield | $104,106 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
82 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Springfield, MA | Real change, Palm Bay → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $69,642 | +16.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $84,260 | +16.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $100,992 | +16.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $120,094 | +16.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $141,915 | +16.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $79,640 | $82,910 (+32.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $127,740 | $132,985 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $92,010 | $95,788 (+26.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $98,410 | $102,450 (+26.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.