City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 7.5% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $107,500 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 $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.7% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Worcester, MA ($110,865 → $120,548), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,500 in Worcester | $93,023 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
46 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Worcester, MA | Real change, Cincinnati → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $69,905 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $84,579 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $101,375 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $120,548 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $142,452 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $82,810 | $77,032 (+19.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $146,950 | $136,697 (+12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $94,070 | $87,507 (+8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $100,240 | $93,246 (+11.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.