with $100k coming in, swapping out of Chicago
changea dispatch from
worcester
MA
42.26°N
71.80°W
Worcester (pronounced 'WOO-stuh', please) is triple-deckers, classic American diners (the city helped invent the diner), and a college-heavy student population (Clark, Holy Cross, WPI, and a dozen more). The smiley face was invented here in 1963. It's central Massachusetts' working-class anchor and quietly gaining a real food scene. Cheaper than Boston, an hour away when you need it.
in our guides
the verdict
cheaper each month than Chicago
Worcester and Chicago land close on cost. The reasons to move are about how you'd live, not what you'd save.
a quick ledger.
$2,140/mo
1% cheaper than Chicago(vs $2,170/mo)
5%
$4/mo more in state tax than Chicago
vs 4.95% in Chicago
$5,777/mo
$26 more than Chicago
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$486k
33% more expensive than Chicago
vs $365k in Chicago
867k
vs 9.3M in Chicago
field notes, weather & such.
148
pleasant days a year, in worcester.
Chicago gets 153 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine. Winter has bite, though: 55 days drop below 20° vs Chicago's 38.
98% fewer events than Chicago. The pace eases up.
59/100
16% lower than Chicago
vs 70/100 in Chicago
Closest outdoor draw: Wachusett Mountain State Reservation, 14.9 mi.
90/100
10% lower than Chicago
vs 100/100 in Chicago
2
99% fewer than Chicago
vs 217 nonstops in Chicago
neighbors of worcester on the map of tradeoffs:
compare worcester with:
