City comparison
Milwaukee, 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 5.8% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $105,800 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 $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $861 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.3% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Worcester, MA ($111,310 → $120,548), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.4% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,763 in Worcester | $94,551 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/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 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$861/yr.
51 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$861/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Worcester, MA | Real change, Milwaukee → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $69,905 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $84,579 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $101,375 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $120,548 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $142,452 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $82,810 | $78,298 (+27.4%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $146,950 | $138,943 (+12.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $94,070 | $88,945 (+10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $100,240 | $94,778 (−2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.