City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 2.2% higher than in Detroit, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Detroit, MI would need about $102,200 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 $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $781 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Detroit, MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.7% moving from Detroit, MI to Worcester, MA ($117,402 → $120,548), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,218 in Worcester | $97,830 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$781/yr.
61 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Detroit, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$781/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Worcester, MA | Real change, Detroit → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $69,905 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $84,579 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $101,375 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $120,548 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $142,452 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $82,810 | $81,013 (+24.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $146,950 | $143,761 (+9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $94,070 | $92,028 (+14.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $100,240 | $98,065 (+0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.