Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or Worcester?

Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $41,000 in Worcester.

Which has lower taxes, Nashville or Worcester?

Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Nashville vs Worcester Cost of Living 2026

Nashville

Tennessee

$1,500/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 $1,500 in Nashville, TN versus $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Worcester, MA is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Nashville, TN, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $75,197 in Nashville, TN and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 10% higher in Nashville, TN. Tennessee has no state income tax and a 7% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Nashville, TN

Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio

$1,341

$1,087

+19% in Nashville, TN

1 Bedroom

$1,336

$1,028

+23% in Nashville, TN

2 Bedroom

$1,478

$1,476

+0% in Nashville, TN

3 Bedroom

$1,832

$1,675

+9% in Nashville, TN

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$383,100

$339,500

+11% in Nashville, TN

Income

Median Household Income

$75,197

$67,544

+10% in Nashville, TN

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$50,390

$57,830

+15% in Worcester, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.4 yr

34.1 yr

+0.3 yr in Nashville, TN

Homeownership

53.0%

42.4%

+10.6 pp in Nashville, TN

Bachelor's+ (25+)

46.9%

34.1%

+12.8 pp in Nashville, TN

Avg Commute

24.9 min

25.1 min

+0.2 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

1,178.7

640.2

+46% in Nashville, TN

Property Crime

4,558.5

1,580.3

+65% in Nashville, TN

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

59.4°F

47.9°F

+11.5°F in Nashville, TN

Annual Precipitation

47.3 in

48.1 in

+0.8 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.85/gal

$4.07/gal

+6% in Worcester, MA

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Massachusetts.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.00

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.1

29.6

+110% in Worcester, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$19.75

$30.66

+55% 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 Nashville, TN

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 (TN / MA)

6.25%

+0.8 pp in TN

Income Tax (top rate)

None

9.00%

+9.0 pp in MA

Nashville vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Nashville or Worcester?: Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Nashville, TN's $1,500, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Nashville than in Worcester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Nashville versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Nashville or Worcester?: Nashville is taxed under Tennessee's rules (no state income tax and a 7% 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).