Is it cheaper to live in Raleigh or Worcester?

Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Raleigh, NC's $1,510, mainly because of rent.

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

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

Which has lower taxes, Raleigh or Worcester?

Raleigh is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax); Worcester under Massachusetts's (a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax).

Raleigh vs Worcester Cost of Living 2026

Raleigh

North Carolina

$1,510/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 $1,510 in Raleigh, NC versus $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Worcester, MA is roughly 11% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Raleigh, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $82,424 in Raleigh, NC and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 18% higher in Raleigh, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Raleigh, NC

Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio

$1,301

$1,087

+16% in Raleigh, NC

1 Bedroom

$1,323

$1,028

+22% in Raleigh, NC

2 Bedroom

$1,462

$1,476

+1% in Worcester, MA

3 Bedroom

$1,715

$1,675

+2% in Raleigh, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$377,800

$339,500

+10% in Raleigh, NC

Income

Median Household Income

$82,424

$67,544

+18% in Raleigh, NC

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,990

$57,830

+11% in Worcester, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

34.7 yr

34.1 yr

+0.6 yr in Raleigh, NC

Homeownership

51.2%

42.4%

+8.8 pp in Raleigh, NC

Bachelor's+ (25+)

52.9%

34.1%

+18.8 pp in Raleigh, NC

Avg Commute

23.4 min

25.1 min

+1.7 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

491.5

640.2

+30% in Worcester, MA

Property Crime

2,838.4

1,580.3

+44% in Raleigh, NC

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

60.6°F

47.9°F

+12.7°F in Raleigh, NC

Annual Precipitation

46.0 in

48.1 in

+2.0 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$4.07/gal

+3% in Worcester, MA

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Massachusetts.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.25

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

14.7

29.6

+101% in Worcester, MA

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$30.10

$30.66

+2% 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 Raleigh, NC

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 (NC / MA)

4.75%

6.25%

+1.5 pp in MA

Income Tax (top rate)

3.99%

9.00%

+5.0 pp in MA

Raleigh vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Raleigh or Worcester?: Worcester, MA is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,340 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 11% below Raleigh, NC's $1,510, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Raleigh than in Worcester?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $53,000 a year in Raleigh versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Raleigh or Worcester?: Raleigh is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).