City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 3.4% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $103,400 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Asheville, NC to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.0% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Asheville, NC | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,390 in Waterbury | $96,721 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
59 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Asheville → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +14.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +14.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +14.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +14.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +14.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $79,640 | $77,028 (+53.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $131,290 | $126,985 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $93,010 | $89,960 (+11.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $101,690 | $98,355 (+20.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.