USA Cost of Living Compare US cities and states with official data

Springfield, MA vs Amherst-Northampton, MA: cost of living compared

Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).

The short answer

  • Overall, Amherst-Northampton, MA is 4.4% more expensive than Springfield, MA (BEA, 2024).
  • To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Springfield works out to about $78,300 in Amherst-Northampton, before taxes.
  • Most of the difference is housing, which costs 28.7% more in Amherst-Northampton. Goods are 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher.
  • Zillow does not publish typical rent for Amherst-Northampton, so rents are not compared here.
  • The gap has widened since 2019, when Amherst-Northampton was 0.9% more expensive than Springfield.

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.

Try your own salary

18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.

Housing drives the gap: 28.7% higher in Amherst-Northampton than in Springfield

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

  • Springfield, MA
  • Amherst-Northampton, MA
All items
96.1 100.2
Goods
97.0 97.0
Housing (rents)
75.8 97.5
Utilities
155.0 155.7
Other services
101.2 101.2

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Springfield, MAAmherst-Northampton, MA
All items96.1100.2
Goods97.097.0
Housing (rents)75.897.5
Utilities155.0155.7
Other services101.2101.2
CategorySpringfieldAmherst-NorthamptonAmherst-Northampton vs Springfield
All items 96.1 100.2 +4.4%
Goods 97.0 97.0 0.0%
Housing (rents) 75.8 97.5 +28.7%
Utilities 155.0 155.7 +0.5%
Other services 101.2 101.2 0.0%
Salary to match $75,000 in Springfield $75,000 $78,300 +4.4%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Springfield and Amherst-Northampton has widened since 2008: 0.2 points then, 4.2 now

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

  • Springfield, MA
  • Amherst-Northampton, MA
US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Springfield, MAAmherst-Northampton, MA
200899.599.7
2009101.8103.7
201098.796.7
201197.7100.1
201297.899.3
2013101.3100.0
201498.999.3
201599.7103.1
201699.499.7
201799.4102.3
201897.4100.8
201997.898.7
202099.1101.8
202197.799.0
202298.9101.1
202398.1102.8
202496.1100.2

Goods

  • Springfield, MA
  • Amherst-Northampton, MA
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Springfield, MAAmherst-Northampton, MA
200899.999.8
2009101.1101.1
201098.098.0
201197.997.9
201297.497.4
201397.397.3
201497.697.6
201598.898.8
201698.498.3
201799.699.5
2018100.8100.8
201997.997.9
202098.898.8
202196.996.9
2022100.8100.8
202398.898.8
202497.097.0

Housing (rents)

  • Springfield, MA
  • Amherst-Northampton, MA
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Springfield, MAAmherst-Northampton, MA
200886.288.5
200999.4112.8
201092.680.6
201187.9104.9
201287.999.6
2013104.296.0
201497.7102.4
201590.7116.0
201687.390.0
201782.3101.8
201878.4101.0
201981.888.2
202086.2103.0
202185.594.9
202273.583.8
202378.5107.0
202475.897.5

Utilities

  • Springfield, MA
  • Amherst-Northampton, MA
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Springfield, MAAmherst-Northampton, MA
2008140.0140.6
2009138.5138.9
2010121.4121.0
2011120.8120.7
2012117.0118.0
2013121.6121.9
2014124.2126.3
2015130.0132.4
2016129.9131.0
2017135.2138.0
2018142.9146.4
2019141.3145.0
2020155.7156.5
2021147.4150.5
2022145.0142.9
2023154.1156.9
2024155.0155.7

Other services

  • Springfield, MA
  • Amherst-Northampton, MA
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Springfield, MAAmherst-Northampton, MA
2008101.3101.3
2009101.4101.4
201099.999.8
201199.499.4
201299.899.8
2013101.9101.9
201498.798.7
2015101.4101.4
2016102.2102.1
2017103.0102.9
201899.599.5
2019100.9100.9
2020101.6101.6
202199.999.9
2022105.6105.6
2023102.1102.1
2024101.2101.2

More about each city

What this comparison leaves out

  • Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
  • Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
  • Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
  • Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.