City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 1.4% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $101,400 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $267 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Boise City, ID to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.2% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- 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
| Boise City, ID | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,410 in Waterbury | $98,610 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$267/yr.
64 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Boise City, ID
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$267/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID 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 Boise City, ID to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Boise City → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +16.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +16.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +16.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +16.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +16.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $79,640 | $78,533 (+28.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $131,290 | $129,465 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $93,010 | $91,717 (+19.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $101,690 | $100,276 (+2.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.