City comparison
Port St. Lucie, FL vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 2.3% higher than in Port St. Lucie, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Port St. Lucie, FL would need about $102,300 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 $1,467 in Port St. Lucie, FL. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 22% in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Port St. Lucie, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.3% moving from Port St. Lucie, FL to Worcester, MA ($113,356 → $120,548), while prices change by +2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.0% in real buying power.
- Port St. Lucie, FL: price level 100.2 (about average)
- 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
| Port St. Lucie, FL | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,290 in Worcester | $97,761 in Port St. Lucie |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,467/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,490 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Port St. Lucie, FL MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Port St. Lucie, FL and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Port St. Lucie | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 113.6 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 87.0 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Port St. Lucie, FL → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
61 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Port St. Lucie, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Port St. Lucie, FL is in the Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Port St. Lucie, FL to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Worcester, MA | Real change, Port St. Lucie → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,735 | $69,905 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $79,533 | $84,579 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $95,326 | $101,375 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $113,356 | $120,548 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,953 | $142,452 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Port St. Lucie, FL | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Port St. Lucie dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $53,610 | $82,810 | $80,956 (+51.0%) |
| Software Developers | $128,510 | $146,950 | $143,660 (+11.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,430 | $94,070 | $91,964 (+15.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,090 | $100,240 | $97,996 (+19.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.