City comparison
Seattle, WA vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 8.4% higher than in Worcester, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Worcester, MA would need about $108,400 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,599 in Worcester, MA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 26% in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,780 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.8% moving from Seattle, WA to Worcester, MA ($119,630 → $120,548), while prices change by −7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.2% in real buying power.
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (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
| Seattle, WA | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.1 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,253 in Worcester | $108,398 in Seattle |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,146/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $72,610 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Seattle | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.3 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 104.0 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 106.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 111.1 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Seattle, WA → Worcester, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$4,780/yr.
94 Strong offer
Worcester, MA → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$4,780/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Seattle, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Seattle, WA to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Seattle, WA | Worcester, MA | Real change, Seattle → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $69,905 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $84,579 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $101,375 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $120,548 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $142,452 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Seattle, WA | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Seattle dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,920 | $82,810 | $89,764 (−12.8%) |
| Software Developers | $167,280 | $146,950 | $159,291 (−4.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,370 | $94,070 | $101,970 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,260 | $100,240 | $108,658 (−15.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.