City comparison
Ogden, UT vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 2.2% higher than in Ogden, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Ogden, UT would need about $102,200 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 $1,281 in Ogden, UT. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 20% in Ogden, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,246 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Ogden, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Ogden, UT to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.9% in real buying power.
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Ogden, UT | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,166 in Worcester | $97,880 in Ogden |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,281/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,900 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Ogden, UT MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ogden, UT and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ogden | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 117.9 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 78.8 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ogden, UT → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,246/yr.
61 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Ogden, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,246/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ogden, UT 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 Ogden, UT to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ogden, UT | Worcester, MA | Real change, Ogden → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +10.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +10.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +10.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +10.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +10.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ogden, UT | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Ogden dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,910 | $82,810 | $81,054 (+26.8%) |
| Software Developers | $109,880 | $146,950 | $143,834 (+30.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,010 | $94,070 | $92,075 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,840 | $100,240 | $98,114 (+19.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.