City comparison
Scranton, PA vs Springfield, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 5.6% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $105,600 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,028 a month in Scranton, PA versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Scranton, PA and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $693 a year higher in Springfield, MO than in Scranton, PA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Scranton, PA to Springfield, MO changes real buying power by +5.6%, purely from prices.
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (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
| Scranton, PA | Springfield, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 88.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,687 in Springfield | $105,612 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/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 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $45,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and Springfield, MO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 65.6 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 85.8 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 88.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$693/yr.
86 Strong offer
Springfield, MO → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$693/yr.
52 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Scranton, PA to Springfield, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | Springfield, MO | Real change, Scranton → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | Springfield, MO | Springfield pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $100,210 | $84,690 | $89,442 (−10.7%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $102,350 | $108,093 (−9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $73,020 | $77,118 (+9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $79,370 | $83,824 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.