City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 8.3% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $108,300 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,710 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.5% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Worcester, MA ($110,047 → $120,548), while prices change by +8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
- 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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,294 in Worcester | $92,341 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,710/yr.
44 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,710/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Worcester, MA | Real change, Pittsburgh → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $69,905 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $84,579 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $101,375 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $120,548 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $142,452 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $82,810 | $76,468 (−0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $146,950 | $135,695 (+9.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $94,070 | $86,865 (+12.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $100,240 | $92,563 (+12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.