Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Worcester?

Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.

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

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

Which has lower taxes, Portland or Worcester?

Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Portland vs Worcester Cost of Living 2026

Portland

Oregon

$1,620/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 $1,620 in Portland, OR versus $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Worcester, MA is roughly 17% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Portland, OR, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $88,792 in Portland, OR and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 24% higher in Portland, OR. Oregon has a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Portland, OR

Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio

$1,294

$1,087

+16% in Portland, OR

1 Bedroom

$1,440

$1,028

+29% in Portland, OR

2 Bedroom

$1,741

$1,476

+15% in Portland, OR

3 Bedroom

$2,053

$1,675

+18% in Portland, OR

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$557,600

$339,500

+39% in Portland, OR

Income

Median Household Income

$88,792

$67,544

+24% in Portland, OR

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$60,690

$57,830

+5% in Portland, OR

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.6 yr

34.1 yr

+4.5 yr in Portland, OR

Homeownership

52.8%

42.4%

+10.4 pp in Portland, OR

Bachelor's+ (25+)

53.5%

34.1%

+19.4 pp in Portland, OR

Avg Commute

24.6 min

25.1 min

+0.5 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

732.3

640.2

+13% in Portland, OR

Property Crime

5,609.4

1,580.3

+72% in Portland, OR

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

54.5°F

47.9°F

+6.6°F in Portland, OR

Annual Precipitation

42.9 in

48.1 in

+5.2 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$5.21/gal

$4.07/gal

+22% in Portland, OR

Area: West Coast (PADD 5) vs Massachusetts.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$2.80

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

16.3

29.6

+81% in Worcester, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.60

$30.66

+42% in Worcester, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Portland, OR

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.92

+6% in Portland, OR

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Portland, OR

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in Worcester, MA

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.69

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (OR / MA)

None

6.25%

+6.3 pp in MA

Income Tax (top rate)

9.90%

9.00%

+0.9 pp in OR

Portland vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Portland or Worcester?: Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 17% below Portland, OR's $1,620, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Portland than in Worcester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $58,000 a year in Portland versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Portland or Worcester?: Portland is taxed under Oregon's rules (a top state income tax rate of 9.90% and no 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).