Worcester, MA vs Amherst-Northampton, MA: cost of living compared

Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).

The short answer

Overall, Amherst-Northampton, MA is 2.2% less expensive than Worcester, MA (BEA, 2024).
To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Worcester works out to about $73,300 in Amherst-Northampton, before taxes.
Most of the difference is housing, which costs 13.7% less in Amherst-Northampton. Goods are 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher.
Zillow does not publish typical rent for Amherst-Northampton, so rents are not compared here.
The gap is about where it was in 2019 (2.2%).

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.

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Share of your spending that goes on housing: 18% 18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.

Housing drives the gap: 13.7% lower in Amherst-Northampton than in Worcester

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

Worcester, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

All items

102.5 100.2

Goods

97.0 97.0

Housing (rents)

113.0 97.5

Utilities

155.2 155.7

Other services

101.2 101.2

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Worcester, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
All items	102.5	100.2
Goods	97.0	97.0
Housing (rents)	113.0	97.5
Utilities	155.2	155.7
Other services	101.2	101.2

Category	Worcester	Amherst-Northampton	Amherst-Northampton vs Worcester
All items	102.5	100.2	−2.2%
Goods	97.0	97.0	0.0%
Housing (rents)	113.0	97.5	−13.7%
Utilities	155.2	155.7	+0.3%
Other services	101.2	101.2	0.0%
Salary to match $75,000 in Worcester	$75,000	$73,300	−2.2%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Worcester and Amherst-Northampton has narrowed since 2008: 5.0 points then, 2.3 now

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

Worcester, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Worcester, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	104.7	99.7
2009	103.5	103.7
2010	103.2	96.7
2011	103.8	100.1
2012	103.0	99.3
2013	101.7	100.0
2014	103.1	99.3
2015	102.0	103.1
2016	106.3	99.7
2017	104.8	102.3
2018	101.4	100.8
2019	101.0	98.7
2020	101.8	101.8
2021	100.4	99.0
2022	105.1	101.1
2023	103.0	102.8
2024	102.5	100.2

Goods

Worcester, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Worcester, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	98.3	99.8
2009	97.3	101.1
2010	100.0	98.0
2011	102.0	97.9
2012	101.9	97.4
2013	101.4	97.3
2014	105.1	97.6
2015	102.8	98.8
2016	104.7	98.3
2017	104.5	99.5
2018	100.8	100.8
2019	97.9	97.9
2020	98.8	98.8
2021	96.9	96.9
2022	100.8	100.8
2023	98.8	98.8
2024	97.0	97.0

Housing (rents)

Worcester, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Worcester, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	112.4	88.5
2009	112.8	112.8
2010	113.1	80.6
2011	117.4	104.9
2012	113.7	99.6
2013	114.9	96.0
2014	114.1	102.4
2015	101.8	116.0
2016	109.7	90.0
2017	105.9	101.8
2018	105.0	101.0
2019	102.9	88.2
2020	102.8	103.0
2021	104.8	94.9
2022	106.8	83.8
2023	109.2	107.0
2024	113.0	97.5

Utilities

Worcester, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Worcester, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	152.2	140.6
2009	143.6	138.9
2010	113.8	121.0
2011	120.4	120.7
2012	128.5	118.0
2013	115.1	121.9
2014	110.1	126.3
2015	119.7	132.4
2016	135.6	131.0
2017	153.2	138.0
2018	142.1	146.4
2019	142.1	145.0
2020	157.8	156.5
2021	149.2	150.5
2022	146.0	142.9
2023	156.5	156.9
2024	155.2	155.7

Other services

Worcester, MA
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Worcester, MA	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	105.4	101.3
2009	103.6	101.4
2010	102.4	99.8
2011	101.2	99.4
2012	100.5	99.8
2013	98.4	101.9
2014	99.5	98.7
2015	101.0	101.4
2016	105.4	102.1
2017	103.4	102.9
2018	99.5	99.5
2019	100.9	100.9
2020	101.6	101.6
2021	99.9	99.9
2022	105.6	105.6
2023	102.1	102.1
2024	101.2	101.2

More about each city

What this comparison leaves out

Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.