City comparison
Reno, NV vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 5.2% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $105,200 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Reno, NV to Springfield, MA ($106,855 → $120,094), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.2% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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
| Reno, NV | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,097 in Springfield | $105,156 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
85 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Springfield, MA | Real change, Reno → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $69,642 | +18.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $84,260 | +18.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $100,992 | +18.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $120,094 | +18.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $141,915 | +18.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $79,640 | $83,746 (+34.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $127,740 | $134,326 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $92,010 | $96,754 (+17.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $98,410 | $103,484 (−3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.