City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 6.2% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $106,200 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 $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Asheville, NC to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.6% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (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
| Asheville, NC | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,235 in Worcester | $94,131 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
49 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC 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 Asheville, NC to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Worcester, MA | Real change, Asheville → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $82,810 | $77,950 (+55.7%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $146,950 | $138,326 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $94,070 | $88,549 (+10.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $100,240 | $94,357 (+15.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.