City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 11.9% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $111,900 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 $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,110 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Lincoln, NE to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +11.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much 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
| Lincoln, NE | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,948 in Worcester | $89,327 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,110/yr.
36 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,110/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE 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 Lincoln, NE to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Worcester, MA | Real change, Lincoln → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $82,810 | $73,972 (+19.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $146,950 | $131,266 (+29.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $94,070 | $84,030 (+28.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $100,240 | $89,542 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.