City comparison
Denver, CO vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 3.2% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $103,200 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,599 in Worcester, MA. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 26% in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,088 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Denver, CO to Worcester, MA ($118,675 → $120,548), while prices change by −3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.8% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (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
| Denver, CO | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,919 in Worcester | $103,179 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,088/yr.
77 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$1,088/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Worcester, MA | Real change, Denver → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,905 | +4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,579 | +4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $101,375 | +4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,548 | +4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $142,452 | +4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $82,810 | $85,442 (+11.1%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $146,950 | $151,621 (+10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $94,070 | $97,060 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $100,240 | $103,426 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.