City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 7.0% higher than in Buffalo, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Buffalo, NY would need about $107,000 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 $1,139 in Buffalo, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 18% in Buffalo, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.3% moving from Buffalo, NY to Worcester, MA ($111,301 → $120,548), while prices change by +7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.3% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,969 in Worcester | $93,485 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
47 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Buffalo, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Worcester, MA | Real change, Buffalo → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $69,905 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $84,579 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $101,375 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $120,548 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $142,452 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $82,810 | $77,415 (+1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $146,950 | $137,377 (+7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $94,070 | $87,942 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $100,240 | $93,710 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.