Cost of Living: Boston, MA vs Worcester, MA
Quick rent-and-take-home comparison
Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,224/mo in Boston, MA versus $4,224/mo in Worcester, MA. In the model, rent is about 30.5% of gross in Boston, MA versus 20.62% in Worcester, MA, so Worcester, MA tends to feel more affordable for rent.
Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Boston, MA and Worcester, MA.
At a glance
- Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Worcester, MA
- Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Worcester, MA
- Lower home prices: Worcester, MA
- Higher median household income: Boston, MA
Cost of Living Index
Boston, MA: 156.3 (U.S. = 100) · Worcester, MA: 100 (U.S. = 100)
Worcester, MA has a lower cost-of-living index than Boston, MA, so a given salary generally stretches further there.
Median Rent
Boston, MA: $1,989/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Worcester, MA: $1,345/mo
Median rent in Boston, MA is $644/mo higher than in Worcester, MA.
Median Home Price
Boston, MA: $710,400 · Worcester, MA: $339,500
Median home price in Boston, MA is $370,900 higher than in Worcester, MA.
Median Household Income
Boston, MA: $94,755 · Worcester, MA: $67,544
Boston, MA has a higher median household income than Worcester, MA by $27,211.
Boston, MA overview · Worcester, MA overview · Popular comparisons