City comparison
Providence, RI vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Providence, RI (101.8) and Worcester, MA (102.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Providence, RI goes as far as $100,700 in Worcester, MA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,632 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Providence, RI.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $120,548 in either. A transfer from Providence, RI to Worcester, MA changes real buying power by −0.7%, purely from prices.
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (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
| Providence, RI | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.8 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,737 in Worcester | $99,268 in Providence |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,402/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (RI) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $53,680 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Providence-Warwick, RI-MA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Providence | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.9 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 97.1 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 102.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 101.8 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Providence, RI → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,632/yr.
65 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$1,632/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Providence, RI to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Providence, RI | Worcester, MA | Real change, Providence → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,905 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $84,579 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $101,375 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $120,548 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $142,452 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Providence, RI | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Providence dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $86,720 | $82,810 | $82,204 (−5.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $146,950 | $145,875 (+11.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,020 | $94,070 | $93,382 (−1.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,880 | $100,240 | $99,507 (−0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.