City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 2.6% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $102,600 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,599 in Worcester, MA. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 26% in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,088 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Boulder, CO to Worcester, MA ($118,675 → $120,548), while prices change by −2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.2% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (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
| Boulder, CO | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,453 in Worcester | $102,613 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,088/yr.
76 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$1,088/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Worcester, MA | Real change, Boulder → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,905 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,579 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $101,375 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,548 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $142,452 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $82,810 | $84,974 (+5.4%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $146,950 | $150,790 (−8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $94,070 | $96,528 (−3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $100,240 | $102,859 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.