same $100k income, fresh start from Seattle
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
more expensive each month than Seattle
Worcester costs meaningfully more. Whether it earns that back in the day-to-day is the actual question.
a quick ledger.
$2,140/mo
2% cheaper than Seattle(vs $2,193/mo)
5%
$417/mo more in state tax than Seattle
vs 0% in Seattle
$5,777/mo
$363 less than Seattle
gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.
$486k
39% cheaper than Seattle
vs $791k in Seattle
867k
vs 4.0M in Seattle
field notes, weather & such.
148
pleasant days a year, in worcester.
Seattle actually gets more: 182 pleasant days a year. The trade is winter: 55 days below 20°, vs 0 in Seattle.
But the calendar thins out: Seattle stays 8.5× busier.
59/100
37% lower than Seattle
vs 93/100 in Seattle
Closest outdoor draw: Wachusett Mountain State Reservation, 14.9 mi.
90/100
8% lower than Seattle
vs 98/100 in Seattle
2
98% fewer than Seattle
vs 90 nonstops in Seattle
neighbors of worcester on the map of tradeoffs:
compare worcester with:
