City comparison
San Francisco, CA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Francisco, CA are 12.8% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $112,800 in San Francisco, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,977 a month in San Francisco, CA versus $1,599 in Worcester, MA. On $100,000, that's 48% of take-home pay in San Francisco, CA and 26% in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in San Francisco, CA than in Worcester, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.4% moving from San Francisco, CA to Worcester, MA ($133,060 → $120,548), while prices change by −11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.2% in real buying power.
- San Francisco, CA: price level 115.6 (much 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
| San Francisco, CA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 115.6 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,678 in Worcester | $112,768 in San Francisco |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,977/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 48% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $74,260 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Francisco | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 194.7 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 108.5 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 172.6 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 106.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 115.6 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Francisco, CA → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
99 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → San Francisco, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
3 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Francisco, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from San Francisco, CA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Francisco, CA | Worcester, MA | Real change, San Francisco → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $69,905 | +2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $84,579 | +2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $101,375 | +2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $120,548 | +2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $142,452 | +2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Francisco, CA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in San Francisco dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $82,810 | $93,383 (−8.3%) |
| Software Developers | $186,640 | $146,950 | $165,712 (−11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $110,730 | $94,070 | $106,081 (−4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $186,610 | $100,240 | $113,039 (−39.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.