City comparison
Dayton, OH 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 Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH 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 $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.2% moving from Dayton, OH to Worcester, MA ($110,401 → $120,548), while prices change by +10.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: 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
| Dayton, OH | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,604 in Worcester | $90,413 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
38 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Worcester, MA | Real change, Dayton → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $69,905 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $84,579 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $101,375 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $120,548 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $142,452 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $82,810 | $74,871 (−6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $146,950 | $132,862 (+24.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $94,070 | $85,051 (+7.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $100,240 | $90,630 (+9.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.