City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 6.4% higher than in Nashville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Nashville, TN would need about $106,400 in Worcester, MA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN and $1,599 in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Nashville, TN to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.4% in real buying power.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (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
| Nashville, TN | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,420 in Worcester | $93,967 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
49 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Nashville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Nashville, TN 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 Nashville, TN to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Worcester, MA | Real change, Nashville → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $82,810 | $77,814 (+26.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $146,950 | $138,085 (+9.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $94,070 | $88,395 (+13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $100,240 | $94,193 (+12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.