City comparison
Peoria, IL vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 12.4% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $112,400 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 $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,805 a year in IL and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Peoria, IL to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +12.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.8% in real buying power.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (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
| Peoria, IL | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,377 in Worcester | $88,986 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$25/yr.
36 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$25/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Peoria, IL 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 Peoria, IL to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | Worcester, MA | Real change, Peoria → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $132,090 | $128,630 | $114,463 (−13.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $146,950 | $130,765 (+0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $94,070 | $83,709 (+5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $100,240 | $89,199 (+10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.