Moving to Massachusetts from District of Columbia
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from District of Columbia to Massachusetts — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from District of Columbia to Massachusetts, you would find that Massachusetts is 16.0% cheaper than District of Columbia. A $75,000 salary in District of Columbia would need to be roughly $63,000 in Massachusetts to maintain the same lifestyle.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from District of Columbia to Massachusetts.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $63,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Massachusetts
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 14.3% less
Groceries
pay 12.7% less
Transportation
pay 15.0% less
Housing
pay 12.8% less
Childcare
pay 32.8% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 29.8% less
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from District of Columbia to Massachusetts.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Massachusetts performs significantly better than District of Columbia across all safety metrics.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
District of Columbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Massachusetts leads in uninsured rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Massachusetts performs significantly better than District of Columbia across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Massachusetts performs significantly better than District of Columbia across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
District of Columbia generally does better on employment & economy, though Massachusetts leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
District of Columbia generally does better on family life, though Massachusetts leads in life expectancy.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Washington | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 48°/28°F (9°/-2°C) | 40°/26°F (4°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 75°/51°F (24°/11°C) | 66°/50°F (19°/10°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/62°F (29°/17°C) | 78°/62°F (25°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 57°/35°F (14°/2°C) | 51°/38°F (11°/3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Washington | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 42°/24°F (5.8°/-4.5°C) | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.4°C) |
| Feb | 46°/26°F (8.0°/-3.3°C) | 39°/25°F (3.7°/-4.1°C) |
| Mar | 56°/33°F (13.1°/0.5°C) | 45°/31°F (7.4°/-0.5°C) |
| Apr | 67°/42°F (19.3°/5.6°C) | 56°/41°F (13.1°/4.8°C) |
| May | 75°/51°F (23.9°/10.7°C) | 66°/50°F (18.9°/9.9°C) |
| Jun | 84°/61°F (28.8°/16.1°C) | 76°/60°F (24.4°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.6°C) | 81°/65°F (27.4°/18.6°C) |
| Aug | 87°/64°F (30.3°/17.9°C) | 80°/65°F (26.4°/18.1°C) |
| Sep | 79°/56°F (26.3°/13.5°C) | 72°/57°F (22.4°/14.1°C) |
| Oct | 68°/44°F (20.1°/6.6°C) | 61°/47°F (16.3°/8.1°C) |
| Nov | 58°/35°F (14.2°/1.8°C) | 51°/38°F (10.8°/3.3°C) |
| Dec | 46°/27°F (7.8°/-2.7°C) | 41°/28°F (5.1°/-2.1°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Massachusetts than District of Columbia?
Yes — Massachusetts is on average about 16% cheaper than District of Columbia. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to Massachusetts?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $15,750 in Massachusetts on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Massachusetts safe?
Massachusetts performs significantly better than District of Columbia across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Massachusetts compared to District of Columbia?
District of Columbia generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Massachusetts leads in uninsured rate.
What's the weather like in Massachusetts compared to District of Columbia?
The average high temperature in Boston is 59°F, compared to 66°F in Washington. Boston receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Washington gets 41.5 in.
