City comparison
Kiryas Joel, NY vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 6.7% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $106,700 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,549 a month in Kiryas Joel, NY and $1,599 in Worcester, MA.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from Kiryas Joel, NY to Worcester, MA ($125,431 → $120,548), while prices change by −6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much 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
| Kiryas Joel, NY | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 109.4 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,695 in Worcester | $106,729 in Kiryas Joel |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,549/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,990 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kiryas Joel | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.8 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 136.8 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 106.5 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 109.4 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kiryas Joel, NY → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
89 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Kiryas Joel, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
49 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Kiryas Joel, NY is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Kiryas Joel, NY to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Worcester, MA | Real change, Kiryas Joel → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $69,905 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $84,579 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $101,375 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $120,548 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $142,452 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Kiryas Joel dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $106,740 | $128,630 | $137,286 (+28.6%) |
| Software Developers | $145,830 | $146,950 | $156,839 (+7.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,900 | $94,070 | $100,400 (+12.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $102,890 | $100,240 | $106,985 (+4.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.