City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 9.9% higher than in Greenville, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Greenville, SC would need about $109,900 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 $1,221 in Greenville, SC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 20% in Greenville, SC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,843 a year in SC and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Greenville, SC to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,932 in Worcester | $90,965 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$63/yr.
39 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Greenville, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$63/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greenville, SC 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 Greenville, SC to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Worcester, MA | Real change, Greenville → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $82,810 | $75,328 (+24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $146,950 | $133,673 (+9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $94,070 | $85,571 (+11.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $100,240 | $91,183 (+12.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.