City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 6.8% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $106,800 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,710 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.4% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Springfield, MA ($117,284 → $120,094), while prices change by −6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.3% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,669 in Springfield | $106,759 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,710/yr.
90 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,710/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Philadelphia → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $69,642 | +9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $84,260 | +9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $100,992 | +9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $120,094 | +9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $141,915 | +9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $79,640 | $85,023 (+8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $127,740 | $136,374 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $92,010 | $98,229 (+14.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $98,410 | $105,062 (+3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.