City comparison
Tucson, AZ vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 5.8% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $105,800 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 $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,489 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.2% moving from Tucson, AZ to Worcester, MA ($108,455 → $120,548), while prices change by +5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (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
| Tucson, AZ | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,807 in Worcester | $94,511 in Tucson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,081/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,760 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Tucson-Nogales, AZ | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Tucson, AZ MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Tucson, AZ and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tucson | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 91.8 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tucson, AZ → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$2,489/yr.
50 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$2,489/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tucson, AZ is in the Tucson-Nogales, AZ pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Tucson, AZ to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tucson, AZ | Worcester, MA | Real change, Tucson → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,893 | $69,905 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,095 | $84,579 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,205 | $101,375 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,455 | $120,548 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,162 | $142,452 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tucson, AZ | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Tucson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $47,220 | $82,810 | $78,265 (+65.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,710 | $146,950 | $138,885 (+12.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $94,070 | $88,907 (+16.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $94,110 | $100,240 | $94,738 (+0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.