City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 5.7% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $105,700 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 $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- 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 +12.5% moving from Rochester, NY to Worcester, MA ($107,182 → $120,548), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.4% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (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
| Rochester, NY | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,656 in Worcester | $94,647 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/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 | 20% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
51 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Worcester, MA | Real change, Rochester → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $69,905 | +6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $84,579 | +6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $101,375 | +6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $120,548 | +6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $142,452 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $82,810 | $78,377 (+24.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $146,950 | $139,084 (+13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $94,070 | $89,034 (+10.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $100,240 | $94,874 (+9.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.