City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 6.9% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $106,900 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,077 a month in Pittsburgh, PA versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Pittsburgh, PA and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $693 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Springfield, MO ($110,047 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.4% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- 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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,571 in Springfield | $106,870 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/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 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$693/yr.
90 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$693/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Springfield, MO is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Springfield, MO | Real change, Pittsburgh → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $61,722 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $74,678 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $89,508 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $106,437 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $125,776 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $49,380 | $52,773 (−31.1%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $102,350 | $109,382 (−12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $73,020 | $78,037 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $79,370 | $84,823 (+3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.