City comparison
Palm Bay, FL vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 2.5% higher than in Palm Bay, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Palm Bay, FL would need about $102,500 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 $1,478 in Palm Bay, FL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 22% in Palm Bay, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Palm Bay, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Palm Bay, FL to Worcester, MA ($107,228 → $120,548), while prices change by +2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.7% in real buying power.
- Palm Bay, FL: price level 100.0 (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
| Palm Bay, FL | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,518 in Worcester | $97,544 in Palm Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,030 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Palm Bay | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.7 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 88.1 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Palm Bay, FL → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
60 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Palm Bay, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Palm Bay, FL is in the Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Palm Bay, FL to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Palm Bay, FL | Worcester, MA | Real change, Palm Bay → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,181 | $69,905 | +9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,233 | $84,579 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,173 | $101,375 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,228 | $120,548 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,711 | $142,452 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Palm Bay, FL | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Palm Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,510 | $82,810 | $80,776 (+29.2%) |
| Software Developers | $131,760 | $146,950 | $143,341 (+8.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,860 | $94,070 | $91,760 (+21.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,900 | $100,240 | $97,778 (+20.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.