City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Arlington | Springfield | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,902/mo | $1,047/mo | 81.7% higher in A |
| Median home value | $839,200 | $198,500 | 322.8% higher in A |
| Median household income | $136,312 | $47,677 | 185.9% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 100.0 | 98.2 | 1.9% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 133.9 | 138.3 | 3.2% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 101.3 | 99.6 | 1.7% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 103.9 | 102.2 | 1.7% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Arlington, you'd need $75,464 in Springfield to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Springfield, MA is about 24.5% cheaper overall than Arlington, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 48% lower in Springfield than in Arlington. If you earn $80,000 in Arlington, you'd need about $60,371 in Springfield to keep the same standard of living.