City comparison
Urban Honolulu, HI vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 8.2% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $108,200 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,599 in Worcester, MA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 26% in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,290 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Worcester, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.5% moving from Urban Honolulu, HI to Worcester, MA ($111,119 → $120,548), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.4% in real buying power.
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much 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
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.0 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,396 in Worcester | $108,230 in Urban Honolulu |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,016/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $6,070 (HI) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,220 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Hawaii | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Urban Honolulu, HI MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Urban Honolulu, HI and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Urban Honolulu | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.5 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 111.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 187.3 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 102.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 111.0 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Urban Honolulu, HI → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$1,290/yr.
93 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$1,290/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Urban Honolulu, HI is in the State of Hawaii pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Urban Honolulu, HI to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Worcester, MA | Real change, Urban Honolulu → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,438 | $69,905 | +17.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,964 | $84,579 | +17.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,445 | $101,375 | +17.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,119 | $120,548 | +17.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,310 | $142,452 | +17.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Urban Honolulu dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,080 | $82,810 | $89,626 (+22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $120,230 | $146,950 | $159,044 (+32.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,990 | $94,070 | $101,812 (+35.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,260 | $100,240 | $108,490 (−22.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.