City comparison
Springfield, MA vs Stockton, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 9.4% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $109,400 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA and $1,395 in Stockton, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Springfield, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Springfield, MA to Stockton, CA ($120,094 → $133,060), while prices change by +9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.3% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Springfield, MA | Stockton, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.1 | 105.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,398 in Stockton | $91,409 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,395/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,930 | $48,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Springfield, MA MSA and Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA. Metro areas: Springfield, MA and Stockton-Lodi, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Stockton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.8 | 115.6 |
| Goods | 97.0 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 155.0 | 158.2 |
| Other services | 101.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 96.1 | 105.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MA → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
42 Weak offer
Stockton, CA → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Springfield, MA is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Stockton, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Springfield, MA to Stockton, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MA | Stockton, CA | Real change, Springfield → Stockton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $77,161 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $93,358 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $111,896 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $133,060 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $157,236 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MA | Stockton, CA | Stockton pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $97,400 | $89,033 (+11.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,740 | $138,550 | $126,647 (−0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,010 | $83,570 | $76,391 (−17.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,410 | $134,580 | $123,018 (+25.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.