City comparison
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Arlington | Worcester | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,902/mo | $1,312/mo | 45.0% higher in A |
| Median home value | $839,200 | $305,600 | 174.6% higher in A |
| Median household income | $136,312 | $63,011 | 116.3% higher in A |
| Groceries index | 100.0 | 98.2 | 1.9% higher in A |
| Utilities index | 133.9 | 138.4 | 3.3% lower in A |
| Transportation index | 101.3 | 99.6 | 1.7% higher in A |
| Healthcare index | 103.9 | 102.2 | 1.7% higher in A |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Arlington, you'd need $86,466 in Worcester to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Worcester, MA is about 13.5% cheaper overall than Arlington, MA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 26% lower in Worcester than in Arlington. If you earn $80,000 in Arlington, you'd need about $69,173 in Worcester to keep the same standard of living.