City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 1.4% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $101,400 in Worcester, MA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO and $1,599 in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,088 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Worcester, MA ($118,675 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (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
| Fort Collins, CO | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,379 in Worcester | $98,639 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/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 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,088/yr.
63 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Fort Collins, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,088/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, 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 Fort Collins, CO to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Worcester, MA | Real change, Fort Collins → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,905 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,579 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $101,375 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,548 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $142,452 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $82,810 | $81,683 (+29.8%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $146,950 | $144,950 (+8.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $94,070 | $92,790 (+3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $100,240 | $98,876 (+1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.