City comparison
Knoxville, TN vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 10.8% higher than in Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN would need about $110,800 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 $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Knoxville, TN to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (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
| Knoxville, TN | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,753 in Worcester | $90,291 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
37 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN 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 Knoxville, TN to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Worcester, MA | Real change, Knoxville → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $82,810 | $74,770 (+20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $146,950 | $132,683 (+9.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $94,070 | $84,937 (+12.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $100,240 | $90,508 (+17.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.