City comparison
Dallas, TX vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Dallas, TX (103.1) and Worcester, MA (102.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Dallas, TX goes as far as $99,400 in Worcester, MA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX 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 Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.2% moving from Dallas, TX to Worcester, MA ($115,711 → $120,548), while prices change by −0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.8% in real buying power.
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (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
| Dallas, TX | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.1 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,450 in Worcester | $100,553 in Dallas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,648/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 | 25% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dallas | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 102.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 90.7 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 103.1 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dallas, TX → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
69 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Dallas, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dallas, TX is in the Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Dallas, TX to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dallas, TX | Worcester, MA | Real change, Dallas → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,100 | $69,905 | +4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,186 | $84,579 | +4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,307 | $101,375 | +4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $115,711 | $120,548 | +4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $136,736 | $142,452 | +4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dallas, TX | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Dallas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,070 | $82,810 | $83,268 (+28.0%) |
| Software Developers | $133,290 | $146,950 | $147,763 (+10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,620 | $94,070 | $94,590 (+14.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,420 | $100,240 | $100,794 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.