City comparison
Green Bay, WI vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 10.1% higher than in Green Bay, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Green Bay, WI would need about $110,100 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 $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $861 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Green Bay, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Green Bay, WI to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +10.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (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
| Green Bay, WI | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,138 in Worcester | $90,795 in Green Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $931/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,940 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Green Bay | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.7 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Green Bay, WI → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$861/yr.
39 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Green Bay, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.1%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$861/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Green Bay, WI 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 Green Bay, WI to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Green Bay, WI | Worcester, MA | Real change, Green Bay → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Green Bay, WI | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Green Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,600 | $82,810 | $75,188 (+24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $103,160 | $146,950 | $133,424 (+29.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,720 | $94,070 | $85,411 (+9.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,700 | $100,240 | $91,013 (+7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.