City comparison
Madison, 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 5.4% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $105,400 in Worcester, MA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $1,482 in Madison, WI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 24% in Madison, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $861 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Madison, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Madison, WI to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,382 in Worcester | $94,893 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/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 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$861/yr.
52 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$861/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, 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 Madison, WI to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Worcester, MA | Real change, Madison → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $82,810 | $78,581 (+23.4%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $146,950 | $139,445 (+6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $94,070 | $89,266 (+10.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $100,240 | $95,121 (−6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.