City comparison
Jacksonville, 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 3.1% higher than in Jacksonville, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Jacksonville, FL would need about $103,100 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 $1,382 in Jacksonville, FL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 21% in Jacksonville, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Jacksonville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Jacksonville, FL to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.9% in real buying power.
- Jacksonville, FL: price level 99.5 (about average)
- 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
| Jacksonville, FL | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.5 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,055 in Worcester | $97,036 in Jacksonville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/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 | 21% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,830 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Jacksonville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jacksonville, FL and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jacksonville | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.8 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 99.5 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jacksonville, FL → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
58 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Jacksonville, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
78 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Jacksonville, 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 Jacksonville, FL to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jacksonville, FL | Worcester, MA | Real change, Jacksonville → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jacksonville, FL | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Jacksonville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $111,290 | $128,630 | $124,817 (+12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,330 | $146,950 | $142,594 (+9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,960 | $94,070 | $91,282 (+14.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,520 | $100,240 | $97,269 (+16.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.