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Salary vs. Cost of Living in Massachusetts

Compare take-home pay and living costs across 8 counties and 101 occupations in Massachusetts.

Counties
8
MA, listed here
Occupations
101
with published wages
Median of medians
$73,990
per year, before tax
Population covered
6,414,570
residents in listed counties

Salary and cost of living across Massachusetts

This page covers 8 Massachusetts counties and 101 occupations with published wages. Across all of them the median of the median salaries is $73,990 a year. Each county links to its own list of jobs, with take-home pay and cost-of-living math for every one.

Housing is the biggest difference between places: a one-bedroom Fair Market Rent runs from $1,421 a month in Hampden County, MA to $2,518 in Suffolk County, MA. Among counties with at least 20 listed occupations, Middlesex County, MA has the highest median-of-medians pay at $75,210. Bristol County, MA has the largest share of occupations (100%) whose take-home pay covers rent, food, energy and gasoline.

Counties in Massachusetts, largest first

Showing 1–8 of 8.

Counties in Massachusetts with pay and rent summaries
CountyPopulationJobs listedTypical median pay1-bedroom rentJobs covering basics
Middlesex County, MA1,638,365101$75,210$2,382/mo77%
Worcester County, MA867,7886$38,545$1,611/mo100%
Essex County, MA813,054101$75,210$2,245/mo82%
Suffolk County, MA785,121101$75,210$2,518/mo72%
Norfolk County, MA730,082101$75,210$2,514/mo72%
Bristol County, MA582,27020$43,610$1,530/mo100%
Plymouth County, MA535,075101$75,210$2,185/mo84%
Hampden County, MA462,8151$40,860$1,421/mo100%