City comparison
Boston, MA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 5.6% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $105,600 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,599 in Worcester, MA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 26% in Worcester, MA.
- Both are in MA, so estimated state income tax is the same: $4,780 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $120,548 in either. A transfer from Boston, MA to Worcester, MA changes real buying power by +5.6%, purely from prices.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- 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
| Boston, MA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,695 in Worcester | $105,602 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
85 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | Worcester, MA | Real change, Boston → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,905 | +5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $84,579 | +5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $101,375 | +5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $120,548 | +5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $142,452 | +5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $82,810 | $87,449 (−10.8%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $146,950 | $155,182 (−6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $94,070 | $99,339 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $100,240 | $105,855 (−0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.