City comparison
Olympia, WA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 1.1% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $101,100 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA 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 Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Olympia, WA to Worcester, MA ($119,630 → $120,548), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (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
| Olympia, WA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.7 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,894 in Worcester | $101,119 in Olympia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,682/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,960 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Olympia | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.7 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 91.7 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 103.7 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Olympia, WA → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
71 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Olympia, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Olympia, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Olympia, WA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Olympia, WA | Worcester, MA | Real change, Olympia → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $69,905 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $84,579 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $101,375 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $120,548 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $142,452 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Olympia, WA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Olympia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $104,650 | $82,810 | $83,736 (−20.0%) |
| Software Developers | $124,060 | $146,950 | $148,594 (+19.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,470 | $94,070 | $95,122 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,020 | $100,240 | $101,361 (−18.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.