City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 9.5% higher than in Columbia, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbia, SC would need about $109,500 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 $1,164 in Columbia, SC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 19% in Columbia, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Columbia, SC to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (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
| Columbia, SC | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,461 in Worcester | $91,357 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$63/yr.
41 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Columbia, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$63/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC 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 Columbia, SC to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Worcester, MA | Real change, Columbia → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $82,810 | $75,653 (+26.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $146,950 | $134,249 (+8.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $94,070 | $85,940 (+24.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $100,240 | $91,576 (+11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.