City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cape Coral, FL (102.3) and Worcester, MA (102.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cape Coral, FL goes as far as $100,200 in Worcester, MA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL and $1,599 in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.1% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (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
| Cape Coral, FL | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,170 in Worcester | $99,830 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
67 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Cape Coral, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Worcester, MA | Real change, Cape Coral → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +13.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +13.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +13.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +13.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +13.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $82,810 | $82,669 (+36.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $146,950 | $146,701 (+15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $94,070 | $93,910 (+18.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $100,240 | $100,070 (+20.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.