Is it cheaper to live in Greenville or Worcester?

Greenville, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Worcester, MA's $1,340, mainly because of electricity costs.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Greenville versus $41,000 in Worcester.

Which has lower taxes, Greenville or Worcester?

Greenville is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Greenville vs Worcester Cost of Living 2026

Greenville

South Carolina

$1,300/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 $1,300 in Greenville, SC versus $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Greenville, SC is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Worcester, MA, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $68,460 in Greenville, SC and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 1% higher in Greenville, SC. South Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Greenville, SC

Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio

$1,175

$1,087

+7% in Greenville, SC

1 Bedroom

$1,113

$1,028

+8% in Greenville, SC

2 Bedroom

$1,325

$1,476

+11% in Worcester, MA

3 Bedroom

$1,550

$1,675

+8% in Worcester, MA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$453,300

$339,500

+25% in Greenville, SC

Income

Median Household Income

$68,460

$67,544

+1% in Greenville, SC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$46,580

$57,830

+24% in Worcester, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.8 yr

34.1 yr

+0.7 yr in Greenville, SC

Homeownership

41.2%

42.4%

+1.2 pp in Worcester, MA

Bachelor's+ (25+)

55.0%

34.1%

+20.9 pp in Greenville, SC

Avg Commute

19.9 min

25.1 min

+5.2 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

649.8

640.2

+1% in Greenville, SC

Property Crime

3,479.3

1,580.3

+55% in Greenville, SC

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

60.5°F

47.9°F

+12.6°F in Greenville, SC

Annual Precipitation

50.8 in

48.1 in

+2.7 in in Greenville, SC

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$4.07/gal

+3% in Worcester, MA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Massachusetts.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.6

29.6

+90% in Worcester, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$29.07

$30.66

+5% in Worcester, MA

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 Greenville, SC

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 (SC / MA)

6.25%

+0.3 pp in MA

Income Tax (top rate)

6.00%

9.00%

+3.0 pp in MA

Greenville vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Greenville or Worcester?: Greenville, SC is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 3% below Worcester, MA's $1,340, mainly because of electricity costs.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Greenville than in Worcester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Greenville versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Greenville or Worcester?: Greenville is taxed under South Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.00% and a 6% 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).