City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hartford, CT (102.7) and Worcester, MA (102.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hartford, CT goes as far as $99,800 in Worcester, MA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Worcester, MA ($120,094 → $120,548), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- 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
| Hartford, CT | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,783 in Worcester | $100,218 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
68 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Worcester, MA | Real change, Hartford → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $69,905 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $84,579 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $101,375 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $120,548 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $142,452 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $82,810 | $82,990 (+4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $146,950 | $147,270 (+11.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $94,070 | $94,275 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $100,240 | $100,458 (−1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.