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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 $75K 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 126, rent $2,150/mo, income $67,544
79-point cost gap between #1 and #4
0 of 4 cities keep rent under 30% of $75K gross income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K 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 $75K salary, the key number is $1,875/month — that's 30% of gross, the standard affordability line. Worcester ($2,150/mo, 34%), Lowell ($2,262/mo, 36%), Cambridge ($3,355/mo, 54%) all clear that bar. After federal tax, FICA (7.65%), and state income tax, estimated take-home ranges from $50,960 to $50,960/year across these top picks.
Worcester earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. And on balance, the 126 cost index sits 15 points above the national baseline, and the $67,544 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $423,326 — $44,044 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 105, while Housing trails at 126.
It checks most boxes — but the housing costs are the asterisk. And as a general rule, in Worcester, the housing index sits at 126 — above average and worth factoring in (that's pre-tax, of course).
79-point cost gap between #1 and #4. And as far as the data shows, worcester (index 126) and Boston (index 205) sit 79 points apart on the cost index — proof that Massachusetts is far from monolithic in affordability. No major red flags in that number.
If you're ready to act on this, three things to do next: 1) Click into the city pages for the top 3 and check rent trends — direction matters more than the snapshot. 2) Run your income through the salary calculator for a personalized cost comparison. 3) Compare your top two picks head-to-head on our comparison page. The data is here; the decision is yours (and that gap widens if you factor in state taxes).
Worcester (index 126) and Boston (index 205) sit 79 points apart on the cost index — proof that Massachusetts is far from monolithic in affordability.
The 30% rule — spending no more than 30% of gross income on housing — is the most widely cited benchmark for affordability. On a $75K salary, 0 cities (0%) meet this threshold. That's a tough market.
Rent ranges from $2,150/mo in Worcester to $3,510/mo in Boston — a monthly difference of $1,360, or $16,320 per year.
Rent in #1-ranked Worcester has increased from $2,097 to $2,150/mo over the past 12 months — a 3% increase. Rising costs may erode its top ranking over time.
207,621 residents · Massachusetts
A closer look at Worcester: the cost index of 126 breaks down to a Healthcare index of 105 (strongest category) and a Housing index of 126 (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 (that's pre-tax, of course).
114,296 residents · Massachusetts
Dive into Lowell's numbers: cost index 132 — this is the part where it gets real — (21 points above national average), rent $2,262/month, income $76,205, and a home price of $471,792. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Healthcare is the cheapest category at 106, while Housing runs 132. With 114,296 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
118,214 residents · Massachusetts
Cambridge earns its position at #3 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 196 cost index sits 85 points above the national baseline, and the $126,469 median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $1,019,841 — $552,471 above the national median, reflecting the local market dynamics. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 119, while Housing trails at 196.
653,833 residents · Massachusetts
Boston earns its position at #4 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 205 cost index sits 94 points above the national baseline, and the $94,755 — and yes, that's adjusted for the region — median income means purchasing power here is partially offset by higher costs. Homes list at $768,702 — $301,332 above the national median, reflecting the metro premium. On the cost side, Healthcare leads the way at 121, while Housing trails at 205 (we double-checked this one).
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Worcester | 9% | 6.25% | 1.04% | $50,960 |
2Lowell | 9% | 6.25% | 1.04% | $50,960 |
3Cambridge | 9% | 6.25% | 1.04% | $50,960 |
4Boston | 9% | 6.25% | 1.04% | $50,960 |
We model what a $75K 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 126 and median income of $67,544.
Yes. On a $75K salary in Worcester, rent would consume about 34% 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 126 and rent of $2,150/mo, while Boston (ranked #4) has a cost index of 205 and rent of $3,510/mo — a 79-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 9% state income tax, estimated take-home on $75K in Worcester is approximately $50,960/year ($4,247/month). After median rent of $2,150/month, you'd have roughly $25,160/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 9% 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.