City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 14.8% higher than in Columbus, GA. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, GA would need about $114,800 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 $939 in Columbus, GA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 15% in Columbus, GA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,567 a year in GA and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.1% moving from Columbus, GA to Worcester, MA ($112,556 → $120,548), while prices change by +14.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.7% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much 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
| Columbus, GA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,813 in Worcester | $87,099 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$213/yr.
36 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Columbus, GA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$213/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Worcester, MA | Real change, Columbus → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $69,905 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $84,579 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $101,375 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $120,548 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $142,452 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $82,810 | $72,126 (+17.5%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $146,950 | $127,991 (+10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $94,070 | $81,934 (+11.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $100,240 | $87,308 (+5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.