City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 15.8% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $115,800 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $693 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Springfield, MO ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.1% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
- 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
| Philadelphia, PA | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,379 in Springfield | $115,769 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $883/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$693/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$693/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Springfield, MO | Real change, Philadelphia → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $49,380 | $57,167 (−27.2%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $102,350 | $118,490 (−10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $73,020 | $84,535 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $79,370 | $91,886 (−9.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.