City comparison
Spokane, WA 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 Spokane, WA. Someone earning $100,000 in Spokane, WA 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 $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.7% moving from Spokane, WA to Worcester, MA ($106,991 → $120,548), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.3% in real buying power.
- Spokane, WA: 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
| Spokane, WA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,169 in Worcester | $97,877 in Spokane |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,193/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 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,660 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spokane | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 91.2 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spokane, WA → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
61 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Spokane, WA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Spokane, WA is in the Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Spokane, WA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spokane, WA | Worcester, MA | Real change, Spokane → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,044 | $69,905 | +10.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,068 | $84,579 | +10.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,974 | $101,375 | +10.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,991 | $120,548 | +10.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,432 | $142,452 | +10.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spokane, WA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Spokane dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,800 | $82,810 | $81,052 (−18.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $146,950 | $143,830 (+10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,350 | $94,070 | $92,072 (+6.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $111,750 | $100,240 | $98,111 (−12.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.