City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 7.8% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $107,800 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 $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,017 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.5% moving from St. Louis, MO to Worcester, MA ($109,137 → $120,548), while prices change by +7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.4% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (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
| St. Louis, MO | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,819 in Worcester | $92,748 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,017/yr.
45 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,017/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Worcester, MA | Real change, St. Louis → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $69,905 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $84,579 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $101,375 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $120,548 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $142,452 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $82,810 | $76,805 (+26.6%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $146,950 | $136,293 (+5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $94,070 | $87,248 (+10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $100,240 | $92,971 (+11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.