City comparison
New York, NY vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 9.8% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $109,800 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,599 in Worcester, MA. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 26% in Worcester, MA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from New York, NY to Worcester, MA ($125,431 → $120,548), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much 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 York, NY | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,081 in Worcester | $109,793 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $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 York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
98 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
14 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
New York, NY 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 York, NY to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | Worcester, MA | Real change, New York → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $69,905 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $84,579 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $101,375 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $120,548 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $142,452 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $82,810 | $90,920 (−6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $146,950 | $161,341 (−3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $94,070 | $103,282 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $100,240 | $110,056 (−8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.