City comparison
Boston, MA vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 12.8% higher than in York, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in York, PA would need about $112,800 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,710 a year higher in Boston, MA than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Boston, MA to York, PA ($120,548 → $121,785), while prices change by −11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.9% in real buying power.
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boston, MA | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.3 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,670 in York | $112,777 in Boston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,476/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 40% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $66,620 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boston | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.4 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 103.6 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 108.3 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boston, MA → York, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,710/yr.
100 Strong offer
York, PA → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,710/yr.
15 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boston, MA is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boston, MA to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boston, MA | York, PA | Real change, Boston → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $70,623 | +13.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $85,447 | +13.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $102,415 | +13.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $121,785 | +13.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $143,913 | +13.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boston, MA | York, PA | York pay in Boston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,060 | $79,730 | $89,917 (−8.3%) |
| Software Developers | $166,090 | $114,600 | $129,243 (−22.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,150 | $75,160 | $84,763 (−15.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $106,180 | $96,210 | $108,503 (+2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.