Cost of Living in Springfield, Illinois
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Springfield, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 112,989
- Median household income
- $72,889
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 92.7
- Unemployment rate
- 3.9%
Is Springfield a good place to live?
Springfield is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 167 of the 178 other large US cities we track.
A typical worker in Springfield keeps $13,026 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living7% below the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,004 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$2,462 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Springfield
Prices in the Springfield, IL area run 7% below the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 28% below the US average.
- Housing28% below the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)6% below the US average
- Utilities10% below the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)About the same as the US average
- All items7% below the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,004 | $12,048 |
| Food | $462 | $5,544 |
| Transportation | $366 | $4,392 |
| Healthcare | $351 | $4,212 |
| Utilities | $235 | $2,820 |
| Total before taxes | $2,418 | $29,016 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Springfield | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $885 | $861 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,004 | $977 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,268 | $1,237 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,671 | $1,631 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,774 | $1,728 |
Living in Springfield
How Springfield compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Springfield | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $72,889 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $189,800 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,071 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 37.5% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 11.6% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 43.1% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 42.1 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 16.5 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 14.5% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 1.4% | 3.7% |
The 1-year survey doesn’t publish commuting method for Springfield, so those figures come from the 2020–2024 5-year estimates.
Home internet
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Springfield, led by Xfinity, T-Mobile, Rise Broadband, Verizon. Fiber reaches 50.9% of homes and 59% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Springfield
Pros
- Shorter commutes. The average one-way commute is 16.5 minutes, against 27.2 nationally.
- Paychecks go further. A typical worker keeps $13,026 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs, more than in 167 of 178 large cities.
- Cheaper rent. Median rent is $1,071 a month, against $1,487 nationally.
- Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $189,800, against $360,600 nationally.
Cons
- Higher state income tax. $2,462 on a typical wage of $52,670, or 4.7%.
What your job keeps in Springfield
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $52,670
- Federal income tax
- −$4,140
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,029
- State income tax
- −$2,462
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$12,048
- Everyday costs
- −$16,965
a year, or $1,086 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Springfield, IL. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Springfield, IL area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Software engineer | $104,550 | $48,338 |
| Accountant | $86,440 | $36,493 |
| Registered nurse | $84,220 | $35,042 |
| Social worker | $71,135 | $26,484 |
| Teacher | $68,791 | $24,951 |
| Truck driver | $50,350 | $11,275 |
| Auto mechanic | $48,810 | $10,115 |
| Medical assistant | $45,140 | $7,347 |
| Pharmacy technician | $42,160 | $5,101 |
| Nursing assistant | $40,070 | $3,525 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Springfield on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Carpenter $30,301
- Civil engineer $49,122
- Data scientist $40,130
- Dental assistant $7,536
- Dental hygienist $34,290
- Dentist $116,637
- Diesel mechanic $20,060
- Electrician $35,407
- Financial analyst $34,564
- Firefighter $22,570
- HVAC technician $26,219
- Lawyer $65,705
- Licensed practical nurse $18,635
- Lineman $49,698
- Mechanical engineer $40,732
- Nurse practitioner $64,945
- Occupational therapist $47,200
- Paralegal $18,544
- Paramedic $19,050
- Pharmacist $68,267
- Physical therapist $55,819
- Physician assistant $67,195
- Plumber $41,680
- Police officer $34,073
- Project manager $45,381
- Radiologic technologist $30,843
- Respiratory therapist $31,196
- Speech-language pathologist $33,773
- Veterinarian $54,445
- Welder $10,907
Compare Springfield with other cities
Compare Springfield with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Springfield
3 licensed interstate movers are based in Springfield (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Springfield, IL a good place to live?
Springfield is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 167 of the 178 other large US cities we track. The typical worker here earns $52,670 and keeps $13,026 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Springfield?
Prices in the Springfield, IL area are 7% below the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,004 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,414 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Springfield?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $35,400 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Springfield, IL area earns $52,670.
What is the average rent in Springfield?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $885 for a studio, $1,004 for a 1-bedroom and $1,268 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Springfield at $1,071 a month (2024).
Does Springfield have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $52,670, Illinois state income tax comes to about $2,462 a year. Springfield has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Springfield?
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Springfield, led by Xfinity, T-Mobile, Rise Broadband, Verizon. 50.9% of homes can get fiber and 59% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate