City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fresno, CA (102.2) and Worcester, MA (102.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fresno, CA goes as far as $100,400 in Worcester, MA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $1,355 in Fresno, CA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 22% in Fresno, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Worcester, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.7% moving from Fresno, CA to Worcester, MA ($106,973 → $120,548), while prices change by +0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.3% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (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
| Fresno, CA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,357 in Worcester | $99,644 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
66 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Fresno, CA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Worcester, MA | Real change, Fresno → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $69,905 | +12.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $84,579 | +12.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $101,375 | +12.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $120,548 | +12.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $142,452 | +12.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $82,810 | $82,515 (+4.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $146,950 | $146,427 (+13.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $94,070 | $93,735 (+19.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $100,240 | $99,883 (−20.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.