City comparison
Springfield, MO vs Vallejo, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Vallejo, CA are 22.5% higher than in Springfield, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MO would need about $122,500 in Vallejo, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,705 a month in Vallejo, CA versus $883 in Springfield, MO. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Vallejo, CA and 14% in Springfield, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,308 a year higher in Vallejo, CA than in Springfield, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Springfield, MO to Vallejo, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +22.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MO: price level 88.6 (much cheaper)
- Vallejo, CA: price level 108.5 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Springfield, MO | Vallejo, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.6 | 108.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $122,458 in Vallejo | $81,661 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $883/mo | $1,705/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,780 | $58,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Springfield, MO HUD Metro FMR Area and Vallejo, CA MSA. Metro areas: Springfield, MO and Vallejo, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Vallejo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 65.6 | 142.0 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 85.8 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 88.6 | 108.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MO → Vallejo, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.3%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$1,308/yr.
34 Weak offer
Vallejo, CA → Springfield, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +22.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,308/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Springfield, MO is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Vallejo, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Springfield, MO to Vallejo, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MO | Vallejo, CA | Real change, Springfield → Vallejo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MO | Vallejo, CA | Vallejo pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,380 | $100,790 | $82,306 (+66.7%) |
| Software Developers | $102,350 | $136,930 | $111,818 (+9.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,020 | $95,800 | $78,231 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,370 | $203,290 | $166,009 (+109.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.