City comparison
Akron, OH vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 9.8% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $109,800 in Worcester, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.5% moving from Akron, OH to Worcester, MA ($111,138 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.2% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,803 in Worcester | $91,072 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
40 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Worcester, MA | Real change, Akron → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $69,905 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $84,579 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $101,375 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $120,548 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $142,452 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $82,810 | $75,417 (−4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $146,950 | $133,831 (+26.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $94,070 | $85,672 (+9.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $100,240 | $91,291 (+13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.