City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 11.5% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $111,500 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,110 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.1% moving from Omaha, NE to Worcester, MA ($107,501 → $120,548), while prices change by +11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (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
| Omaha, NE | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,546 in Worcester | $89,649 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,110/yr.
36 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,110/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Worcester, MA | Real change, Omaha → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $69,905 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $84,579 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $101,375 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $120,548 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $142,452 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $82,810 | $74,238 (+18.5%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $146,950 | $131,739 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $94,070 | $84,333 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $100,240 | $89,864 (+6.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.