City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 2.2% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $102,200 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $497 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Worcester, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.9% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Worcester, MA ($116,038 → $120,548), while prices change by −2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (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
| Minneapolis, MN | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,807 in Worcester | $102,242 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$497/yr.
75 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$497/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Worcester, MA | Real change, Minneapolis → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $69,905 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $84,579 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $101,375 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $120,548 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $142,452 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $82,810 | $84,667 (+6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $146,950 | $150,245 (+14.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $94,070 | $96,179 (+11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $100,240 | $102,488 (−0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.