Is it cheaper to live in Minneapolis or Worcester?

Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Minneapolis, MN's $1,370, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Minneapolis versus $41,000 in Worcester.

Which has lower taxes, Minneapolis or Worcester?

Minneapolis is taxed under Minnesota's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Minneapolis vs Worcester Cost of Living 2026

Minneapolis

Minnesota

$1,370/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 $1,370 in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Worcester, MA is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Minneapolis, MN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $80,269 in Minneapolis, MN and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 16% higher in Minneapolis, MN. Minnesota has a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Minneapolis, MN

Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio

$992

$1,087

+10% in Worcester, MA

1 Bedroom

$1,192

$1,028

+14% in Minneapolis, MN

2 Bedroom

$1,555

$1,476

+5% in Minneapolis, MN

3 Bedroom

$1,761

$1,675

+5% in Minneapolis, MN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$345,600

$339,500

+2% in Minneapolis, MN

Income

Median Household Income

$80,269

$67,544

+16% in Minneapolis, MN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$59,320

$57,830

+3% in Minneapolis, MN

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

33.0 yr

34.1 yr

+1.1 yr in Worcester, MA

Homeownership

48.0%

42.4%

+5.6 pp in Minneapolis, MN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

54.5%

34.1%

+20.4 pp in Minneapolis, MN

Avg Commute

22.5 min

25.1 min

+2.6 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,168.5

640.2

+45% in Minneapolis, MN

Property Crime

5,183.1

1,580.3

+70% in Minneapolis, MN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

47.4°F

47.9°F

+0.5°F in Worcester, MA

Annual Precipitation

32.8 in

48.1 in

+15.3 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.96/gal

$4.07/gal

+3% in Worcester, MA

Area: Minnesota vs Massachusetts.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

17.5

29.6

+69% in Worcester, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$14.79

$30.66

+107% in Worcester, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

about equal

Bread (lb)

$1.66

$1.92

+16% in Worcester, MA

Eggs (doz)

$3.63

$2.19

+40% in Minneapolis, MN

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.77

$6.90

+2% in Worcester, MA

Chicken (lb)

$2.10

$2.19

+4% in Worcester, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.62

$0.69

+12% in Worcester, MA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (MN / MA)

6.875%

6.25%

+0.6 pp in MN

Income Tax (top rate)

9.85%

9.00%

+0.8 pp in MN

Minneapolis vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Minneapolis or Worcester?: Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Minneapolis, MN's $1,370, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Minneapolis than in Worcester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $48,000 a year in Minneapolis versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Minneapolis or Worcester?: Minneapolis is taxed under Minnesota's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.85% and a 6.875% 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).