City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 10.6% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $110,600 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 $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.7% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Worcester, MA ($106,955 → $120,548), while prices change by +10.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,631 in Worcester | $90,390 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
38 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Worcester, MA | Real change, Corpus Christi → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $69,905 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $84,579 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $101,375 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $120,548 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $142,452 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $82,810 | $74,852 (+24.3%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $146,950 | $132,829 (+7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $94,070 | $85,030 (+12.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $100,240 | $90,607 (+9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.