same $100k income, fresh start from Allentown
changea dispatch from
springfield
MA
42.10°N
72.59°W
Springfield is where basketball was invented in 1891 (the Basketball Hall of Fame is right here), and where Dr. Seuss grew up (there's a sculpture garden downtown). The city's old industrial buildings are slowly coming back, and the surrounding Pioneer Valley is one of the prettiest stretches in New England. UMass is just up the road. Quieter than Boston, much cheaper.
in our guides
the verdict
pricier each month than Allentown
You'd pay for Springfield. The question is whether the days are worth the difference.
a quick ledger.
$1,913/mo
6% more expensive than Allentown(vs $1,809/mo)
5%
$161/mo more in state tax than Allentown
vs 3.07% in Allentown
$6,004/mo
$265 less than Allentown
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$373k
4% more expensive than Allentown
vs $359k in Allentown
460k
vs 874k in Allentown
field notes, weather & such.
147
pleasant days a year, in springfield.
Allentown has the edge here, logging 157 pleasant days a year. Cold snaps are part of the year: 47 days below 20° here, 32 in Allentown.
But the calendar thins out: Allentown stays 4.5× busier.
66/100
10% lower than Allentown
vs 73/100 in Allentown
Closest outdoor draw: New England National Scenic Trail, 13.7 mi.
87/100
1% higher than Allentown
vs 86/100 in Allentown
26
189% more than Allentown
vs 9 nonstops in Allentown
same energy as springfield, different zip code:
compare springfield with:
