State relocation profile · Federal data
Massachusetts
Massachusetts sits in the dearer third of BEA RPP states, rent, wages, safety, schools and childcare below.
- 105.8
- Cost index (US=100)
- $2,261
- 2BR rent / mo
- $81,220
- Median salary
- 32.6
- Life Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, Massachusetts ranks #50 of 51 scored US states on the composite Life Score (32.6/100, F), with its strongest marks in wages and safety.
- #50 of 51
- Life Score among scored states
- 32.6
- Life Score · F
- 105.8
- Cost of living (US=100)
- $81,220
- Median annual salary (BLS)
Weakest dimension: childcare (2/100). State-level figures are a benchmark, individual metros can diverge sharply, so weigh each dimension against your own priorities.
According to PlainRelocate's state Life Score composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, DOL, and EPA inputs), Massachusetts ranks #50 of 51 scored US states by Life Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 105.8 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $2,261/mo, median salary $81,220; Life Score 32.6/100 (F), strongest in wages and safety.
Signature: Life Score 32.6/100 places Massachusetts #50 of 51 (bottom third of scored states).
Purchasing power tightens: BEA RPP 105.8 lands in the dearer third of US states (cuts at 93.3 / 100.7). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent averages $2,261/mo statewide, against a BLS median salary of $81,220.
Composite Life Score 32.6/100 (F) puts Massachusetts in the bottom third (#50 of 51).
Metro book is mid-sized (6 MSAs); state averages still hide corridor-level rent and wage gaps.
Life Score plate
Sheet MA · Massachusetts 32.6/100 · F · #50 of 51
LIFE-F · RANK-BOTTOM · PHOTO-FINISH · RPP-DEAR · LEAD-WAGES · BOOK-FULL
- LIFE-F Life Score F
- RANK-BOTTOM #50/51
- PHOTO-FINISH ±0.1 pts
- RPP-DEAR RPP 105.8
- LEAD-WAGES Lead · wages
- BOOK-FULL 7/7 dims
Nearest Life Score peer: Hawaii ( -0.1 pts)
Instrument codes from this state’s Life Score grade, corpus rank, peer gap, BEA RPP posture, lead dimension, and dimension book, not a moving recommendation.
Life Score neighbourhood around Massachusetts
Lowest/highest poles plus states nearest Massachusetts on composite Life Score. Full ladder: /rankings/.
Massachusetts childcare costs
DOL state-average center rates for Massachusetts (infant $20,571/yr leads the book).
Massachusetts Life Score breakdown
Massachusetts composites to 32.6/100 (F) across 7 of 7 dimensions; corpus place #50 of 51.
Massachusetts - Life Score dimensions
Percentile vs all US states (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Wages
Wages
92 /100
- Safety
Safety
46 /100
- Environment 28
Environment
28 /100
- Schools 16
Schools
16 /100
- Cost of living 12
Cost of living
12 /100
- Rent 2
Rent
2 /100
- Childcare 2
Childcare
2 /100
What this shows Massachusetts's strongest dimensions are wages and safety; its weakest among scored dims is childcare at 2/100. Each dimension is a federal-data percentile; the composite folds 7 of 7 into one comparable figure.
States near Massachusetts on cost or Life Score
Nearest neighbors to Massachusetts on BEA RPP or composite Life Score, a different lens than the in-state metro list below.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Metros in Massachusetts
Explore detailed relocation data for 6 metropolitan areas in Massachusetts. Massachusetts contains 6 metropolitan statistical areas in our dataset - Amherst Town-Northampton, Barnstable Town, Boston-Cambridge-Newton and more - each with its own rent, wage and crime profile that can diverge sharply from the statewide average.
Amherst Town-Northampton metro · Compare metros · Cost vs quality · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
Massachusetts cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Massachusetts wages and safety follow BLS OEWS and FBI UCR. Research use only, verify at the agency source before you move.