Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Worcester?

Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 19% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Worcester?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $41,000 in Worcester.

Which has lower taxes, Austin or Worcester?

Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Austin vs Worcester Cost of Living 2026

Austin

Texas

$1,660/mo est.

Worcester

Massachusetts

$1,340/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,660 in Austin, TX versus $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Worcester, MA is roughly 19% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Austin, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $91,461 in Austin, TX and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 26% higher in Austin, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Austin, TX

Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio

$1,348

$1,087

+19% in Austin, TX

1 Bedroom

$1,457

$1,028

+29% in Austin, TX

2 Bedroom

$1,776

$1,476

+17% in Austin, TX

3 Bedroom

$2,127

$1,675

+21% in Austin, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$512,700

$339,500

+34% in Austin, TX

Income

Median Household Income

$91,461

$67,544

+26% in Austin, TX

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$56,950

$57,830

+2% in Worcester, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.5 yr

34.1 yr

+0.4 yr in Austin, TX

Homeownership

44.4%

42.4%

+2.0 pp in Austin, TX

Bachelor's+ (25+)

58.2%

34.1%

+24.1 pp in Austin, TX

Avg Commute

24.0 min

25.1 min

+1.1 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

476.1

640.2

+34% in Worcester, MA

Property Crime

3,290.7

1,580.3

+52% in Austin, TX

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

67.2°F

47.9°F

+19.3°F in Austin, TX

Annual Precipitation

34.9 in

48.1 in

+13.2 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.58/gal

$4.07/gal

+14% in Worcester, MA

Area: Texas vs Massachusetts.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

Adult base one-way fare — CapMetro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.9

29.6

+86% in Worcester, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$31.89

$30.66

+4% in Austin, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.00

$4.31

+8% in Worcester, MA

Bread (lb)

$1.75

$1.92

+10% in Worcester, MA

Eggs (doz)

$2.21

$2.19

+1% in Austin, TX

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.45

$6.90

+7% in Worcester, MA

Chicken (lb)

$1.90

$2.19

+15% in Worcester, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Worcester, MA

Average prices — South vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / MA)

6.25%

about equal

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.00%

+9.0 pp in MA

Austin vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Austin or Worcester?: Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 19% below Austin, TX's $1,660, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Austin than in Worcester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Austin versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Austin or Worcester?: Austin is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).