Relocation profile · Federal data

Springfield, OH

Cost of living, rent, wages, safety, schools and environment for Springfield - every figure straight from federal data.

90.5
Cost index (US=100)
$1,106
2BR rent / mo
$59,334
Median salary
48.9
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Springfield ranks #232 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (48.9/100), with its strongest marks in housing and cost of living.

#232
of 387 US metros · Near median
11,883,304
metro-area population
293
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
3,586
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: schools (13/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, and five other federal agencies, Springfield has a cost-of-living index of 90.5 (100 = national average), a median 2-bedroom rent of $1,106/mo, and a median salary of $59,334. Its composite LiveAbility Score is 48.9/100, ranking #232 of 387 U.S. metros, with its strongest marks in housing and cost of living.

How Springfield ranks nationally

Where Springfield's LiveAbility Score falls among all 387 US metros scored.

LiveAbility Score distribution - Springfield marked 0 US metros at 0–10 0 0 US metros at 10–20 10 21 US metros at 20–30 21 20 41 US metros at 30–40 41 30 110 US metros at 40–50 110 40 159 US metros at 50–60 159 50 50 US metros at 60–70 50 60 6 US metros at 70–80 6 70 0 US metros at 80–90 80 0 US metros at 90–100 90 LiveAbility Score →
Bottom 40% by LiveAbility Score Lower LiveAbility Score than 60% of all 387 US metros.

Springfield has liveability score of 48.9. Distribution: 0 US metros at 0-10; 0 US metros at 10-20; 21 US metros at 20-30; 41 US metros at 30-40; 110 US metros at 40-50; 159 US metros at 50-60; 50 US metros at 60-70; 6 US metros at 70-80; 0 US metros at 80-90; 0 US metros at 90-100.

Springfield, OH: BEA RPP 90.5 (US=100), HUD 2BR rent $1,106/mo, BLS median salary $59,334, FBI violent crime 293/100K (state), NCES 3,586 schools (state), composite Life Score 52.1/100 (D). Source methodology + Life Score formula →

Relocation decisions rarely hinge on a single number. A metro with high salaries but a steep cost of living can leave less disposable income than a cheaper market, and a low crime rate matters more to some households than school options or commute times. The composite Life Score blends federal cost, wage, safety, and education data into one comparable figure, but each underlying component is shown separately so you can weight what matters to your own situation. Read every metric against your priorities rather than chasing the highest headline score, and confirm the latest figures on the official source before you commit to a move.

Key Metrics

Cost of Living (RPP)
90.5
100 = national avg
2BR Rent (FMR)
$1,106
per month
Median Salary
$59,334
annual
Violent Crime Rate
293
per 100K (state level)

Housing & Rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Springfield metropolitan area. Regional housing cost index: 61.7 (100 = national average).

Studio
$763
/month
1 Bedroom
$843
/month
2 Bedroom
$1,106
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,355
/month
4 Bedroom
$1,572
/month

Wages & Employment

Springfield has 40,450 total employment with a median salary of $59,334.

Median Salary
$59,334
Mean Salary
$62,120
Total Employment
40,450

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Fast Food and Counter Workers $27,490
Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators $46,730
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $58,810
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand $35,130
Retail Salespersons $32,610

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Springfield area from NCES.

Schools
3,586
Enrollment
1,675,943
Student:Teacher
18.2:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Springfield area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$11,791
per year
Toddler (Center)
$10,686
per year
Preschool (Center)
$9,394
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Springfield's composite Life Score is 52.1/100 (D), computed across 7 dimensions.

Cost
72/100
Strong
Wages
24/100
Weak
Rent
79/100
Strong
Crime
57/100
Above average
Schools
87/100
Elite
Childcare
31/100
Weak
Environment
6/100
Bottom decile

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Springfield ranks #232 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 48.9/100 - a composite of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Housing (79/100)

Springfield - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

/100

What this shows Springfield's strongest dimensions are housing and cost of living; its weakest is schools at 13/100. The composite weights cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Other Major Metro Areas

Explore relocation data for other major US metropolitan areas.

Compare Springfield Side-by-Side With Other Metros

This page is a relocation deep-dive on Springfield - cost of living, rent, wages, safety, schools, and more. When you're narrowing a shortlist, a side-by-side comparison across the same dimensions is faster. Put Springfield on the same scorecard as the metro you're weighing it against and see at a glance which move actually comes out ahead.

Compare Springfield with another metro →

Thinking about Springfield?

How to use this profile before you commit to a move.

  • Pressure-test Springfield against the metro you're weighing it against, same dimensions, side by side. Compare metros
  • Check what your salary is actually worth here after the 90.5 cost-of-living index. Salary calculator
  • Re-rank every US metro by the priorities that matter to you, turn up jobs, turn down climate. City Finder

Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a recommendation. Crime and schools use state-level data where metro-level isn't published. Always visit before you move.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the cost of living in Springfield?
Springfield has a Regional Price Parity (RPP) of 90.5, where 100 represents the national average. Housing costs index at 61.7, which is below the national average. The average 2-bedroom rent is $1,106/month.
What is the median salary in Springfield?
The median salary in Springfield is $59,334 annually (mean: $62,120). Top occupations include Fast Food and Counter Workers, Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators, Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers.
How safe is Springfield?
The violent crime rate in the Springfield area is 293 per 100,000 population (state-level data). Property crime rate is 1545 per 100K.
What are the schools like in Springfield?
The state of OH has 3,586 schools (state-level data, no metro-level federal count exists) with an average student-teacher ratio of 18.2:1. Charter schools make up 9.3% of all schools.
How much does childcare cost in Springfield?
Infant center-based childcare in the Springfield area averages $11,791 per year. Preschool averages $9,394/year. These are state-level averages.
Is Springfield a good place to relocate?
Springfield has a Life Score of 52.1/100 (D), based on 7 dimensions: cost of living, wages, rent, crime, schools, childcare, and environment. This is a middle-of-the-pack score, where the composite lands for most US metros; look at individual dimensions to see the real trade-offs.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from BEA, HUD, BLS, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, and EPA. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.

All federal data sources used on this page

Verify with NOAA →

Verify with U.S. Census Bureau → · Verify with FEMA →

Every figure on PlainRelocate is rendered directly from federal source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on federal source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.