City comparison
Salt Lake City, UT vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 1.6% higher than in Salt Lake City, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Salt Lake City, UT would need about $101,600 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 $1,456 in Salt Lake City, UT. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 23% in Salt Lake City, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,246 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Salt Lake City, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Salt Lake City, UT to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.4% in real buying power.
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (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
| Salt Lake City, UT | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,641 in Worcester | $98,386 in Salt Lake City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,456/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,240 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Salt Lake City-Murray, UT and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salt Lake City | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.3 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 79.0 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salt Lake City, UT → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,246/yr.
63 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Salt Lake City, UT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,246/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salt Lake City, UT 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 Salt Lake City, UT to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salt Lake City, UT | Worcester, MA | Real change, Salt Lake City → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salt Lake City, UT | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Salt Lake City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,920 | $82,810 | $81,473 (+4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,600 | $146,950 | $144,578 (+11.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,100 | $94,070 | $92,551 (+12.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $85,890 | $100,240 | $98,622 (+14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.