City comparison
Utica, NY vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 10.6% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $110,600 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 $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 15% in Utica, NY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,860 a year in NY and $4,780 in MA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Utica, NY to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +10.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.4% in real buying power.
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (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
| Utica, NY | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,623 in Worcester | $90,397 in Utica |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,970 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Utica-Rome, NY MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Utica-Rome, NY and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Utica | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 66.1 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 131.9 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Utica, NY → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$80/yr.
38 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$80/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Utica, NY 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 Utica, NY to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Utica, NY | Worcester, MA | Real change, Utica → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Utica, NY | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Utica dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $98,280 | $128,630 | $116,278 (+18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $113,390 | $146,950 | $132,839 (+17.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,830 | $94,070 | $85,037 (+6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $94,300 | $100,240 | $90,614 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.