Is $21,000 a good salary in Massachusetts?

$21,000 in Massachusetts provides a monthly take-home of approximately $1,483 after taxes. Across major Massachusetts cities, this salary is rated not recommended, with an average monthly surplus of $-1,856.

What is the cost of living on $21,000 in Massachusetts?

The average monthly living cost across major Massachusetts cities is approximately $3,339 for a single adult (rent, food, transport, utilities, healthcare). On $21,000 take-home pay of $1,483/month, you would have roughly $-1,856/month remaining.

Living in Massachusetts · 2026

Is $21,000 enough to live in Massachusetts?

Single adult · MA · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data

Statewide verdict:Not recommended

Monthly take-home

$1,483

Avg monthly expenses

$3,339

Avg monthly surplus

$-1,856

Savings potential

~0%

After-tax take-home in Massachusetts

Gross salary$21,000

Federal income tax− $550

State income tax− $1,050

Social Security− $1,302

Medicare− $305

Annual take-home$17,793

Effective tax rate15.27%

How $21,000 feels in Massachusetts cities

Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL

Boston

COL index: 1.93× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$2,900

Food

$682

Transport

$338

Utilities

$318

Healthcare

$386

Total: $4,624/mo

Surplus: $-3,141/mo

Rent burden: 195.6% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Boston analysis →

Worcester

COL index: 1.28× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,800

Food

$550

Transport

$224

Utilities

$211

Healthcare

$256

Total: $3,041/mo

Surplus: $-1,558/mo

Rent burden: 121.4% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Worcester analysis →

Springfield

COL index: 0.88× national avg

Very tight

Rent (1BR)

$1,000

Food

$396

Transport

$154

Utilities

$145

Healthcare

$176

Total: $1,871/mo

Surplus: $-388/mo

Rent burden: 67.4% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Springfield analysis →

Cambridge

COL index: 1.93× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$3,100

Food

$726

Transport

$338

Utilities

$318

Healthcare

$386

Total: $4,868/mo

Surplus: $-3,385/mo

Rent burden: 209.1% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Cambridge analysis →

Lowell

COL index: 1.23× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,700

Food

$519

Transport

$215

Utilities

$203

Healthcare

$246

Total: $2,883/mo

Surplus: $-1,400/mo

Rent burden: 114.7% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Lowell analysis →

Brockton

COL index: 1.18× national avg

Not recommended

Rent (1BR)

$1,600

Food

$506

Transport

$207

Utilities

$195

Healthcare

$236

Total: $2,744/mo

Surplus: $-1,261/mo

Rent burden: 107.9% — Unaffordable (> 50%)

Full Brockton analysis →

50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner

Based on your monthly take-home of $1,483 ($17,796/yr)

Needs 50%Wants 30%Savings 20%

Needs50%

$742

per month

›Rent / mortgage
›Groceries
›Utilities
›Insurance
›Minimum debt payments
›Transportation

Wants30%

$445

per month

›Dining out
›Streaming services
›Gym
›Hobbies
›Travel
›Shopping

Savings20%

$297

per month

›Emergency fund
›401(k) / IRA
›Investments
›Down payment fund
›Debt payoff (extra)

Needs / year

$8,898

Wants / year

$5,339

Savings / year

$3,559

Salary Intelligence

Financial pressure in Boston

Rent alone would take 196% of take-home income. This salary creates significant financial pressure in this city — a $116,000 annual income or lower rent is needed to reach affordability.

Lifestyle score: 0.1/10 (Difficult)

Lifestyle Assessment

A $21,000 salary does not fully cover typical living expenses for a single adult in Boston, Massachusetts. Monthly costs exceed take-home pay by $3,141, indicating this income is insufficient for an independent lifestyle here without additional income or reduced spending.

Purchasing Power

Boston's above-average cost of living (index: 1.93) means $21,000 provides the purchasing power of roughly $10,881 in an average-cost US city, or $12,839 in Austin. Moving to a lower-cost state could effectively increase your take-home by thousands.

State & National Benchmark

$21,000 is 63% below the Massachusetts individual median of $57,200. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.

State individual median

$57,200

-63%

State household median

$96,505

-78%

Tax reduction strategies

Maximize 401(k) Contributions — Up to $5,170 in federal tax (22% bracket)

Contribute to a Traditional IRA — Up to $1,540 in federal tax (22% bracket)

$21,000 vs. Massachusetts income benchmarks

Individual median (Massachusetts)

$57,200

-63% vs. this salary

Household median (Massachusetts)

$96,505

-78% vs. this salary

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023

Related salary insights

Explore other salary levels in Massachusetts

$40,000 $60,000 $100,000 $150,000 $200,000 $300,000

Reviewed by

Finance Editor

CPA, 10+ years in personal finance

Data Sources

•Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
•Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
•Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index

Data updated monthly using government datasets.