City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 13.4% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $113,400 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 $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $826 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Oklahoma City, OK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +13.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much 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
| Oklahoma City, OK | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,400 in Worcester | $88,183 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$826/yr.
36 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$826/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK 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 Oklahoma City, OK to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Worcester, MA | Real change, Oklahoma City → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $82,810 | $73,024 (+49.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $146,950 | $129,585 (+5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $94,070 | $82,954 (+7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $100,240 | $88,395 (+6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.