City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 7.1% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $107,100 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 $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,860 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.2% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Worcester, MA ($107,428 → $120,548), while prices change by +7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.7% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (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
| Indianapolis, IN | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,134 in Worcester | $93,341 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,860/yr.
47 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,860/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Worcester, MA | Real change, Indianapolis → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $69,905 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $84,579 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $101,375 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $120,548 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $142,452 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $82,810 | $77,296 (+27.7%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $146,950 | $137,165 (+28.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $94,070 | $87,806 (+10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $100,240 | $93,565 (+11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.