City comparison
El Paso, 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 14.0% higher than in El Paso, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in El Paso, TX would need about $114,000 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 $1,013 in El Paso, TX. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 15% in El Paso, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in El Paso, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from El Paso, TX to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +14.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (much 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
| El Paso, TX | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,026 in Worcester | $87,699 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/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 | 15% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
36 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → El Paso, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
El Paso, TX is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from El Paso, TX to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Worcester, MA | Real change, El Paso → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $82,810 | $72,624 (+13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $146,950 | $128,874 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $94,070 | $82,499 (+25.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $100,240 | $87,910 (+2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.