City comparison
Worcester, MA vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 17.3% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $117,300 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.8% moving from Worcester, MA to Youngstown, OH ($120,548 → $111,138), while prices change by −14.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.2% in real buying power.
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Worcester, MA | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.5 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $85,243 in Youngstown | $117,311 in Worcester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,599/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,830 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Worcester, MA and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Worcester | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.0 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 97.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 155.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 101.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.5 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Worcester, MA → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.3%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
36 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Worcester, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Worcester, MA to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Worcester, MA | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Worcester → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $64,448 | +8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $77,977 | +8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $93,461 | +8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $111,138 | +8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $131,331 | +8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Worcester, MA | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Worcester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,810 | $72,560 | $85,121 (+2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $146,950 | $107,990 | $126,684 (−13.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,070 | $73,080 | $85,731 (−8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,240 | $78,680 | $92,300 (−7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.