City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 2.2% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $102,200 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.0% moving from Raleigh, NC to Springfield, MA ($111,147 → $120,094), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.4% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (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
| Raleigh, NC | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,865 in Springfield | $102,182 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
76 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Springfield, MA | Real change, Raleigh → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $69,642 | +10.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $84,260 | +10.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $100,992 | +10.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $120,094 | +10.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $141,915 | +10.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $79,640 | $81,378 (+35.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $127,740 | $130,527 (−1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $92,010 | $94,018 (+14.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $98,410 | $100,557 (+18.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.