City comparison
Scranton, PA vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 2.7% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $102,700 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,710 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Scranton, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Scranton, PA to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.9% in real buying power.
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- 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
| Scranton, PA | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,678 in Springfield | $97,392 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,710/yr.
61 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,710/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Scranton, PA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Scranton, PA to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | Springfield, MA | Real change, Scranton → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,590 | $79,640 | $77,563 (+1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $127,740 | $124,409 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $92,010 | $89,611 (+27.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $98,410 | $95,844 (+16.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.