City comparison
San Luis Obispo, CA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Luis Obispo, CA are 13.0% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $113,000 in San Luis Obispo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,914 a month in San Luis Obispo, CA versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 31% of take-home pay in San Luis Obispo, CA and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in San Luis Obispo, CA than in Springfield, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.2% moving from San Luis Obispo, CA to Springfield, MA ($124,085 → $120,094), while prices change by −11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.4% in real buying power.
- San Luis Obispo, CA: price level 108.6 (much 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
| San Luis Obispo, CA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.6 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,457 in Springfield | $113,049 in San Luis Obispo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,914/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 31% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,770 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Luis Obispo | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 144.4 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 147.8 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 108.6 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Luis Obispo, CA → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
100 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → San Luis Obispo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 31% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
29 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Luis Obispo, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from San Luis Obispo, CA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Springfield, MA | Real change, San Luis Obispo → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $69,642 | +9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $84,260 | +9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $100,992 | +9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $120,094 | +9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $141,915 | +9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Luis Obispo, CA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in San Luis Obispo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,620 | $79,640 | $90,032 (−7.8%) |
| Software Developers | $135,020 | $127,740 | $144,409 (+7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,160 | $92,010 | $104,016 (+18.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $138,820 | $98,410 | $111,252 (−19.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.