City comparison
New Haven, CT vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New Haven, CT are 2.0% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $102,000 in New Haven, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,591 a month in New Haven, CT and $1,599 in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in New Haven, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from New Haven, CT to Worcester, MA ($125,431 → $120,548), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- New Haven, CT: price level 104.6 (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
| New Haven, CT | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.6 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,053 in Worcester | $101,986 in New Haven |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,591/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,060 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: New Haven, CT MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: New Haven, CT and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New Haven | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 124.3 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 144.8 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 104.6 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New Haven, CT → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
74 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → New Haven, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
New Haven, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from New Haven, CT to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New Haven, CT | Worcester, MA | Real change, New Haven → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $69,905 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $84,579 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $101,375 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $120,548 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $142,452 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New Haven, CT | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in New Haven dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,820 | $82,810 | $84,455 (+5.8%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $146,950 | $149,868 (+12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,960 | $94,070 | $95,938 (+1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $104,490 | $100,240 | $102,231 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.