City comparison
Springfield, MA vs Urban Honolulu, HI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 15.5% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $115,500 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,290 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Springfield, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.5% moving from Springfield, MA to Urban Honolulu, HI ($120,094 → $111,119), while prices change by +15.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −19.9% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Springfield, MA | Urban Honolulu, HI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.1 | 111.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,511 in Urban Honolulu | $86,572 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $2,016/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $73,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $6,070 (HI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,930 | $57,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | State of Hawaii |
Rent areas: Springfield, MA MSA and Urban Honolulu, HI MSA. Metro areas: Springfield, MA and Urban Honolulu, HI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.8 | 135.5 |
| Goods | 97.0 | 111.6 |
| Utilities | 155.0 | 187.3 |
| Other services | 101.2 | 102.9 |
| Overall | 96.1 | 111.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MA → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.4%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$1,290/yr.
25 Weak offer
Urban Honolulu, HI → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,290/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Springfield, MA is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Urban Honolulu, HI is in State of Hawaii. The last column shows what a transfer from Springfield, MA to Urban Honolulu, HI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MA | Urban Honolulu, HI | Real change, Springfield → Urban Honolulu |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $64,438 | −19.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $77,964 | −19.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $93,445 | −19.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $111,119 | −19.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $131,310 | −19.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MA | Urban Honolulu, HI | Urban Honolulu pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $73,080 | $63,267 (−20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,740 | $120,230 | $104,085 (−18.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,010 | $74,990 | $64,920 (−29.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,410 | $139,260 | $120,560 (+22.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.