City comparison
Wichita, KS vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 15.3% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $115,300 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,780 a year in KS and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Wichita, KS to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +15.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much 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
| Wichita, KS | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.9 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,264 in Worcester | $86,757 in Wichita |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $849/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (KS) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,630 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Wichita, KS and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Wichita | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 66.2 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 94.0 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 88.5 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 93.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 88.9 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Wichita, KS → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$0/yr.
36 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Wichita, KS is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Wichita, KS to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Wichita, KS | Worcester, MA | Real change, Wichita → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Wichita, KS | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Wichita dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,640 | $82,810 | $71,844 (+22.5%) |
| Software Developers | $105,980 | $146,950 | $127,490 (+20.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,270 | $94,070 | $81,612 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $76,540 | $100,240 | $86,965 (+13.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.