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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $50K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Massachusetts using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Worcester …
#1 Ranked: Worcester — cost index 114, rent $2,150/mo, income $67,544
0 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $50K
0 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $50K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Worcester | 5% | 6.25% | 1.04% | $37,622 |
2Lowell | 5% | 6.25% | 1.04% | $37,622 |
3Cambridge | 5% | 6.25% | 1.04% | $37,622 |
4Boston | 5% | 6.25% | 1.04% | $37,622 |
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $50K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market. We ran the numbers on 4 cities in Massachusetts using 2026 census, rent, and salary data. Worcester comes out on top — here's the full ranking and analysis.
On a $50K salary, the key number is $1,250/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Worcester ($2,150/mo, 52%), Lowell ($2,262/mo, 54%), Cambridge ($3,355/mo, 81%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $37,622 to $37,622/year across these top picks. Not flashy. Just effective.
A closer look at Worcester: the cost index of 114 breaks down to a Utilities index of 105 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 134 (weakest). Median rent is $2,150/month — 13% above the national median — while household income sits at $67,544, meaning locals spend about 38% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
0 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $50K. The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $50K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
Bottom line: Worcester leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. And as far as the data shows, click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers.
207,621 residents · Massachusetts
Why Worcester ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 114 on the cost index, residents spend roughly 2% more than the typical American. Rent sits at $2,150/month — for better or worse — while the median household pulls in $67,544/year. The Utilities category is particularly strong at 105, though Housing (134) lags behind. Home prices average $423,326 — $44,044 below the national median.
114,296 residents · Massachusetts
What does daily life actually cost in Lowell? Start with the 36% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Utilities (index 108) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 144) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $76,205 and homes at $471,792 round out a profile that ranks #2 for clear reasons.
118,214 residents · Massachusetts
A closer look at Cambridge: the cost index of 160 breaks down to a Utilities index of 148 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 251 (weakest). Median rent is $3,355/month — 77% above the national median — while household income sits at $126,469, meaning locals spend about 32% of income on rent. That exceeds the recommended 30% threshold — affordability here depends on earning above the median.
653,833 residents · Massachusetts
What does daily life actually cost in Boston? Start with the 44% rent-to-income ratio — stretched, especially for single earners. On the category level, Utilities (index 139) is where the real savings show up, while Housing (index 228) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $94,755 and homes at $768,702 round out a profile that ranks #4 for clear reasons.
We model what a $50K salary looks like after taxes in each city: federal income tax (marginal brackets), FICA (7.65%), and state income tax. Then we compare take-home against local rent and costs to determine where the salary stretches furthest. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Worcester ranks #1 in Massachusetts for this analysis with a cost index of 114 and median income of $67,544.
Yes. On a $50K salary in Worcester, rent would consume about 52% of your gross monthly income. Financial experts recommend keeping rent under 30%. It's tight — consider a roommate or nearby suburb.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
Worcester (ranked #1) has a cost index of 114 and rent of $2,150/mo, while Boston (ranked #4) has a cost index of 151 and rent of $3,510/mo — a 37-point difference in cost of living.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Worcester is $2,150/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $255 above the national median of $1,895/month.
After federal taxes, FICA (7.65%), and 5% state income tax, estimated take-home on $50K in Worcester is approximately $37,622/year ($3,135/month). After median rent of $2,150/month, you'd have roughly $11,822/year for all other expenses.
The median home price in Worcester is $423,326, which is 6.3× the local median income. Most median-income households would stretch to buy at this ratio. The national median home price is $467,370.
Massachusetts has a 5% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.25%, and the effective property tax rate is 1.04%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.