Where Do I Move?

Northeast · Massachusetts · pop 205.5K

Worcester, MA

Fit score

Fair match

at the reference profile: one person earning $6,700/mo gross, default weights.

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After estimated taxes in MA, your $6,700/mo income nets about $5,096 — covering estimated essentials here (about $1,839 rent plus everyday costs incl. local sales tax) with roughly $318 left over.

Reported crime rates sit below most similar-sized cities in this dataset.

Tradeoff: home prices run high relative to local incomes, so buying may take longer than elsewhere.

AFFORDABILITY61HOUSING31JOBS56SAFETY60CLIMATE36AMENITIES47

The Worcester fit print

Est. monthly cost

$4,778/mo

Typical rent

$2,164/mo

Home value ÷ income

5.0×

Score breakdown

Affordability
61
Housing
31
Jobs
56
Safety
60
Climate
36
Amenities
47

The data behind the score

Money (Census ACS · HUD)

Median gross rent
$2,164/mo
Median home value
$339,500
Median household income
$67,544
Population
205,501

Work (BLS)

Unemployment rate
0.0%
Job growth (1yr)
0.0%

Safety (FBI CDE, per 100k)

Violent crime rate
0
Property crime rate
0

Climate (NOAA normals)

Avg. summer high
79°F
Avg. winter low
17°F
Sunny days / year
0
Days ≥100°F by 2050 (air temp)
≈1/yr
Dangerous humid days by 2050 (feels-like)
≈0/yr
Unhealthy air days
≈10/yr
Annual rain
48"
Annual snow
64"

Community & access (approx.)

2024 county margin
D+10
Bachelor's degree or higher
≈34%
Major airport
≈15 mi
Time zone
ET
Walkability
40/100
Transit
30/100
Disaster risk
52/100
Top natural hazard
Lightning
Local pay lags local costs. A typical Worcester household earns about $68k — about 29% short of the $95k needed just to cover local costs here. If you're taking a local job rather than bringing your income with you, negotiate hard.
A citywide number is an average. Rent, safety, and everything else vary block by block — treat these figures as a starting point and research specific neighborhoods before committing.

Data vintage: acs2023-5yr+zori-2026-06-30. Sources & methodology

Natural-hazard risk

Wildfire

moderate risk

Hurricanes

high risk

Tornadoes

low risk

Flooding

moderate risk

Earthquakes

low risk

Severe winter

high risk

Per-hazard risk-index scores from FEMA's National Risk Index for this city's county, with any hazard FEMA doesn't score filled in by our model. Screen by hazard from search.

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Go deeper

Buy vs. rent the median home

Owning the median Worcester home would run about $2,481/mo (mortgage, tax, insurance, upkeep) versus $2,164/mo to rent — about $317/mo more to buy at today's 6.60% rate.

To own$2,481/mo
Mortgage (P&I)
$1,735
Property tax
$323
Insurance (state avg)
$141
Maintenance
$283
To rent$2,164/mo

Buying costs about $317/mo more.

Median home $339,500 · $67,900 down

Estimate only: 30-year fixed, state-average property tax and homeowners insurance, ~1%/yr maintenance. Part of the mortgage payment builds equity, which a pure outlay comparison ignores; and the median home is typically larger than the median rental, which biases the gap toward renting. Ignores closing costs, HOA dues, PMI on low down payments, and the opportunity cost of the down payment. Not a lending quote.

What will the move cost?

Moving to Worcester

About 157 mi from New York, NY.

DIY — rental truck

$350$500

One-way truck, mileage, and fuel. Your labor.

Full-service movers

$2,800$4,050

Pros load, drive, and unload. Packing usually extra.

Rough estimates from distance and household size — real quotes vary with season, access, exact inventory, and fuel. Get a few binding quotes before you book.

Find jobs in Worcester

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