Living Cost Compare
Salt Lake City

Utah

$1,300/mo est.

vs
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 Salt Lake City, UT versus $1,340 in Worcester, MA. Overall, Salt Lake City, UT is roughly 3% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Worcester, MA, driven mainly by electricity costs.

Median household income is $74,925 in Salt Lake City, UT and $67,544 in Worcester, MA — about 10% higher in Salt Lake City, UT. Utah has a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% state sales tax; Massachusetts has a top state income tax rate of 9.00% and a 6.25% state sales tax.

Salt Lake City, UT
Worcester, MA

Rent

Studio
$997
$1,087
+9% in Worcester, MA
1 Bedroom
$1,166
$1,028
+12% in Salt Lake City, UT
2 Bedroom
$1,461
$1,476
+1% in Worcester, MA
3 Bedroom
$1,993
$1,675
+16% in Salt Lake City, UT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$495,700
$339,500
+32% in Salt Lake City, UT

Income

Median Household Income
$74,925
$67,544
+10% in Salt Lake City, UT
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$55,240
$57,830
+5% in Worcester, MA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.0 yr
34.1 yr
+1.1 yr in Worcester, MA
Homeownership
46.8%
42.4%
+4.4 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Bachelor's+ (25+)
50.9%
34.1%
+16.8 pp in Salt Lake City, UT
Avg Commute
19.6 min
25.1 min
+5.5 min in Worcester, MA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
878.8
640.2
+27% in Salt Lake City, UT
Property Crime
5,257.3
1,580.3
+70% in Salt Lake City, UT

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
52.8°F
47.9°F
+4.9°F in Salt Lake City, UT
Annual Precipitation
16.1 in
48.1 in
+32.0 in in Worcester, MA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$4.27/gal
$4.07/gal
+5% in Salt Lake City, UT

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Massachusetts.

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.4
29.6
+121% in Worcester, MA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$11.84
$30.66
+159% in Worcester, MA

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.82
$4.31
+10% in Salt Lake City, UT
Bread (lb)
$2.04
$1.92
+6% in Salt Lake City, UT
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.19
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$7.36
$6.90
+6% in Salt Lake City, UT
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 (UT / MA)
6.1%
6.25%
+0.2 pp in MA
Income Tax (top rate)
4.50%
9.00%
+4.5 pp in MA

Salt Lake City vs Worcester — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Salt Lake City or Worcester?
Salt Lake City, UT 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 Salt Lake City than in Worcester?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Salt Lake City versus $41,000 in Worcester.
Which has lower taxes, Salt Lake City or Worcester?
Salt Lake City is taxed under Utah's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.50% and a 6.1% 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).