City comparison
Columbus, 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 7.4% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $107,400 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 $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,812 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.5% moving from Columbus, OH to Worcester, MA ($111,065 → $120,548), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.1% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,389 in Worcester | $93,120 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,812/yr.
46 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$2,812/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Worcester, MA | Real change, Columbus → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $69,905 | +1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $84,579 | +1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $101,375 | +1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $120,548 | +1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $142,452 | +1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $82,810 | $77,112 (−1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $146,950 | $136,839 (+11.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $94,070 | $87,598 (+7.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $100,240 | $93,343 (+11.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.