Relocation: Worcester, MA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Worcester, MA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Worcester, MA
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Worcester (Monthly) | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,587 | $1,780 | +$193 | +12.2% |
| Food & Groceries | $386 | $385 | -$1 | -0.3% |
| Transportation | $1,085 | $947 | -$138 | -12.7% |
| Healthcare | $420 | $416 | -$4 | -1.0% |
| Other Necessities | $563 | $572 | +$9 | +1.6% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,133 | $2,135 | +$2 | +0.1% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Worcester Median | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $111,900 | $109,390 | -$2,510 (-2.2%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $100,240 | $100,490 | +$250 (+0.2%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $94,070 | $82,360 | -$11,710 (-12.4%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $170,940 | $168,810 | -$2,130 (-1.2%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $146,950 | $134,380 | -$12,570 (-8.6%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $122,180 | $105,090 | -$17,090 (-14.0%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $162,810 | $158,690 | -$4,120 (-2.5%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $193,890 | $173,760 | -$20,130 (-10.4%) | View Dossier |
| Quality Control InspectorIndustrial Manufacturing | Industrial Manufacturing | $49,660 | $48,230 | -$1,430 (-2.9%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $100,290 | $105,320 | +$5,030 (+5.0%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $75,510 | $102,350 | +$26,840 (+35.5%) | View Dossier |
| Medical and Health Services ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $125,890 | $123,090 | -$2,800 (-2.2%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Worcester, MA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN Relocation FAQs
About $97,700. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (128.7 in Worcester, MA, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Worcester, MA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Worcester, MA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on the same salary. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Worcester, MA to Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $97,700. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (128.7 in Worcester, MA, 125.8 in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 2.3% lower in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN than in Worcester, MA. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.