City comparison
Miami, FL vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 11.3% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $111,300 in Miami, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,995 a month in Miami, FL versus $1,599 in Worcester, MA. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 26% in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.3% moving from Miami, FL to Worcester, MA ($113,356 → $120,548), while prices change by −10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +18.4% in real buying power.
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (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
| Miami, FL | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 114.2 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,810 in Worcester | $111,346 in Miami |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,995/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 | 30% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,640 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Miami | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 155.6 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 103.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 97.2 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 109.1 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 114.2 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Miami, FL → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
99 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
30 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Miami, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Miami, FL to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Miami, FL | Worcester, MA | Real change, Miami → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $69,905 | +18.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $84,579 | +18.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $101,375 | +18.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $120,548 | +18.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $142,452 | +18.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Miami, FL | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Miami dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,300 | $82,810 | $92,205 (+58.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,650 | $146,950 | $163,623 (+23.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,920 | $94,070 | $104,743 (+29.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $91,380 | $100,240 | $111,613 (+22.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.