City comparison
Santa Maria, CA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 6.1% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $106,100 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $1,599 in Worcester, MA. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 26% in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $290 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Worcester, MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.9% moving from Santa Maria, CA to Worcester, MA ($124,085 → $120,548), while prices change by −5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.1% in real buying power.
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (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
| Santa Maria, CA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 108.8 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,232 in Worcester | $106,121 in Santa Maria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,746/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 | 44% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,690 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Santa Maria | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.4 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 149.8 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 108.8 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Santa Maria, CA → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$290/yr.
87 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$290/yr.
22 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Santa Maria, CA is in the Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Santa Maria, CA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Santa Maria, CA | Worcester, MA | Real change, Santa Maria → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $71,957 | $69,905 | +3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $87,061 | $84,579 | +3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $104,349 | $101,375 | +3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $124,085 | $120,548 | +3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $146,632 | $142,452 | +3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Santa Maria, CA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Santa Maria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,030 | $82,810 | $87,878 (−13.0%) |
| Software Developers | $158,290 | $146,950 | $155,944 (−1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $91,610 | $94,070 | $99,828 (+9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $137,360 | $100,240 | $106,375 (−22.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.