City comparison
Greeley, 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 2.3% higher than in Greeley, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Greeley, CO would need about $102,300 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 $1,238 in Greeley, CO. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 20% in Greeley, CO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,088 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Greeley, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.6% moving from Greeley, CO to Worcester, MA ($118,675 → $120,548), while prices change by +2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (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
| Greeley, CO | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,343 in Worcester | $97,711 in Greeley |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,238/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 | 20% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,070 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Greeley, CO MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greeley, CO and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greeley | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.6 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greeley, CO → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,088/yr.
60 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Greeley, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,088/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greeley, 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 Greeley, CO to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greeley, CO | Worcester, MA | Real change, Greeley → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,905 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,579 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $101,375 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,548 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $142,452 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greeley, CO | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Greeley dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,160 | $82,810 | $80,914 (+34.5%) |
| Software Developers | $129,480 | $146,950 | $143,586 (+10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,240 | $94,070 | $91,917 (+5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,300 | $100,240 | $97,945 (+1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.