City comparison
Philadelphia, PA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Philadelphia, PA (102.6) and Worcester, MA (102.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Philadelphia, PA goes as far as $100,000 in Worcester, MA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 24% in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,710 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.8% moving from Philadelphia, PA to Worcester, MA ($117,284 → $120,548), while prices change by −0.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (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
| Philadelphia, PA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.6 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,970 in Worcester | $100,030 in Philadelphia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,520/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,310 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Philadelphia | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.1 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 114.4 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 103.1 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 102.6 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Philadelphia, PA → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,710/yr.
68 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Philadelphia, PA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,710/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Philadelphia, PA is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Philadelphia, PA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Philadelphia, PA | Worcester, MA | Real change, Philadelphia → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $69,905 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $84,579 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $101,375 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $120,548 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $142,452 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Philadelphia, PA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Philadelphia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,570 | $82,810 | $82,835 (+5.4%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $146,950 | $146,994 (+10.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,990 | $94,070 | $94,098 (+9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,180 | $100,240 | $100,270 (−0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.