Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand Salary in Boston, MA
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area earn a median $45,600 a year — 13% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $36,760 take-home, or $3,063 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand salary in Boston, MA. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$3,292
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,827
- Medicare (1.45%)$661
- Massachusetts income tax$2,060
- Take-home pay$36,760
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 5.00% state
The Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro spans Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Pick the state you live in — state income tax follows your residence.
Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand pay by experience in Boston, MA
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $37,180 | $17.88 | $30,415 | $2,535 |
| 25th percentile | $39,780 | $19.13 | $32,374 | $2,698 |
| Median (50th) | $45,600 | $21.92 | $36,760 | $3,063 |
| 75th percentile | $49,840 | $23.96 | $39,954 | $3,330 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $58,820 | $28.28 | $46,721 | $3,893 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Massachusetts resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $45,600 buys in Boston, MA
Prices in Boston, MA are 8.3% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.48× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand's $36,760 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,953 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand jobs are less concentrated in Boston, MA than nationally (location quotient 0.47), so openings may be scarcer.
Best-paying cities for laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand, adjusted for cost of living
Boston, MA ranks #102 of 164 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Waterloo, IA | $47,440 | $39,147 | $44,967 |
| 2 | Fargo, ND | $45,690 | $38,892 | $42,799 |
| 3 | Des Moines, IA | $46,370 | $38,328 | $41,797 |
| 4 | Louisville, KY | $46,830 | $38,286 | $41,135 |
| 5 | Chambersburg, PA | $47,540 | $38,919 | $41,122 |
| 6 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $43,300 | $35,978 | $40,441 |
| 7 | Youngstown, OH | $41,540 | $35,197 | $40,274 |
| 8 | Tyler, TX | $43,390 | $37,044 | $40,197 |
| 102 | Boston, MA | $45,600 | $36,760 | $33,953 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 164 metros →
About the job: laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand
Manually move freight, stock, luggage, or other materials, or perform other general labor.
- Typical education
- No formal educational credential
- Work experience
- None required
- On-the-job training
- Short-term on-the-job training
- Job outlook, 2025–35
- +1.8% (slower than average)
Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.
Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand salaries elsewhere in Massachusetts
- Worcester, MA — $44,080
Frequently asked questions
How much does a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand make in Boston, MA?
The median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand salary in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area is $45,600 a year, or about $21.92 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $39,780 and $49,840.
What is a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand’s take-home pay in Boston, MA?
On the median $45,600 salary, a single filer living in Massachusetts takes home about $36,760 a year ($3,063 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $2,060 in Massachusetts taxes in 2026.
Is Boston, MA a good place to work as a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand?
Pay here is 13% above the national median of $40,240. Local prices are 8.3% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,953 would in a typical U.S. city. Boston, MA ranks #102 of 164 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand afford rent in Boston, MA?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Boston, MA is $2,276 a month ($2,762 for two bedrooms) — 74% of a median laborers and freight, stock, and material movers, hand’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Boston, MA
- Bus Drivers, Transit and Intercity — $70,120
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $65,730
- Bus Drivers, School — $65,170
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $64,010
- Flight Attendant — $61,510
- Light Truck Driver — $49,630
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $47,800
- Driver/Sales Worker — $47,340
- Shuttle Driver and Chauffeur — $43,590
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $38,950
- Stocker and Order Filler — $37,700
- Parking Attendant — $37,360