City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 6.0% higher than in Gainesville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Gainesville, FL would need about $106,000 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 $1,246 in Gainesville, FL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 19% in Gainesville, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Gainesville, FL to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (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
| Gainesville, FL | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,986 in Worcester | $94,352 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
50 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Gainesville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
87 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Gainesville, FL 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 Gainesville, FL to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Worcester, MA | Real change, Gainesville → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $104,000 | $128,630 | $121,366 (+16.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $146,950 | $138,651 (+12.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $94,070 | $88,757 (+17.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $100,240 | $94,579 (+15.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.