Community Health Workers Salary
Community Health Workers in Worcester, MA make a median of $53,620 a year, or about $25.78 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.52), that's roughly $52,302 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,056/month, about 58.4% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $54K get you in Worcester?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Worcester’s Regional Price Parity (102.52). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About community health workers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Worcester
Community health workers pay in Worcester tracks closely to the national median, $54K locally vs. $52K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,056/month, which is 58.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 102.52) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for community health workers in metros near Worcester, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton | $57K | $53K |
| Springfield | $49K | $51K |
| Amherst Town-Northampton | $54K | $54K |
| Barnstable Town | $56K | $57K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Worcester, MA
Entry-level community health workers (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $54K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $28K spread from bottom to top.
Community Health Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Community Health Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $67K | +29% | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $63K | +21% | 280 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +15% | 90 |
| Colorado | $59K | +14% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $58K | +13% | 240 |
| New York | $58K | +12% | 5,800 |
| California | $58K | +12% | 9,500 |
| Nevada | $58K | +11% | 670 |
| Washington | $57K | +10% | 2,640 |
| Delaware | $56K | +8% | 280 |
| New Jersey | $56K | +8% | 1,330 |
| Utah | $56K | +7% | 580 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | +7% | 2,970 |
| New Mexico | $55K | +6% | 610 |
| Wyoming | $54K | +4% | 140 |
| Connecticut | $54K | +3% | 290 |
| Oregon | $53K | +3% | 1,980 |
| Rhode Island | $53K | +2% | 520 |
| Idaho | $52K | +0% | 270 |
| Alaska | $52K | +0% | 400 |
| Nebraska | $52K | -0% | 160 |
| Vermont | $52K | -1% | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $51K | -1% | 630 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | -2% | 1,970 |
| Georgia | $51K | -2% | 490 |
| Ohio | $51K | -2% | 1,910 |
| Maryland | $51K | -3% | 3,030 |
| Montana | $50K | -4% | 330 |
| Michigan | $49K | -5% | 1,890 |
| Illinois | $49K | -5% | 2,040 |
| Arizona | $49K | -6% | 1,140 |
| Virginia | $49K | -6% | 620 |
| Missouri | $49K | -6% | 1,820 |
| Texas | $49K | -6% | 4,210 |
| Maine | $49K | -6% | 360 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -7% | 980 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -7% | 540 |
| Indiana | $48K | -8% | 1,310 |
| Iowa | $48K | -8% | 390 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -8% | 1,680 |
| Minnesota | $48K | -8% | 1,260 |
| Kansas | $47K | -9% | 240 |
| Louisiana | $46K | -10% | 210 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -12% | 600 |
| South Dakota | $46K | -12% | 270 |
| Florida | $45K | -12% | 1,220 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -13% | N/A |
| Alabama | $43K | -16% | 270 |
| Tennessee | $42K | -18% | 520 |
| Mississippi | $40K | -24% | 410 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -27% | 310 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track community health workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Worcester numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a community health worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Worcester?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $54K, rent takes 58.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,056/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for community health workers in Worcester?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new community health workers typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,385/month. At HUD’s $2,056/month FMR, rent would take 86% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is community health worker a high-paying job in Worcester?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $54K locally vs. $52K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Worcester compare to the national average for community health workers?
Worcester pays $54K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.52), the purchasing-power equivalent is $52K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do community health workers make in Worcester, MA?
The median is $53,620 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,750, and experienced community health workers can clear $67,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $54K enough to live in Worcester?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,537/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,056/month, which eats 58.1% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a community health workers salary go in Worcester?
Worcester has a Regional Price Parity of 102.52 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median community health workers salary is worth about $52,302 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do community health workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.