City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 5.7% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $105,700 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.2% moving from Anchorage, AK to Waterbury, CT ($120,348 → $125,431), while prices change by −5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.1% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,648 in Waterbury | $105,655 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
86 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Anchorage → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $72,737 | +10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $88,005 | +10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $105,481 | +10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $125,431 | +10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $148,222 | +10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $79,640 | $84,143 (+6.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $131,290 | $138,714 (+33.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $93,010 | $98,269 (+19.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $101,690 | $107,440 (−6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.