City comparison
Scranton, PA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 9.6% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $109,600 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 $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,710 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Scranton, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Scranton, PA to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.4% in real buying power.
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
- 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
| Scranton, PA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.6 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,585 in Worcester | $91,254 in Scranton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,028/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,330 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Scranton | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.0 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 106.5 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 93.6 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Scranton, PA → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,710/yr.
40 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,710/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Scranton, PA 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 Scranton, PA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Scranton, PA | Worcester, MA | Real change, Scranton → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Scranton, PA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Scranton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,590 | $82,810 | $75,567 (−1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $119,960 | $146,950 | $134,097 (+11.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,480 | $94,070 | $85,842 (+21.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,650 | $100,240 | $91,473 (+10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.