City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Bridgeport, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 1.6% higher than in Boulder, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Boulder, CO would need about $101,600 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,795 in Boulder, CO. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 29% in Boulder, CO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Boulder, CO to Bridgeport, CT ($118,675 → $125,431), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.0% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Bridgeport, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 106.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,580 in Bridgeport | $98,445 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $2,100/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $61,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Bridgeport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 150.5 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 147.1 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 106.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Bridgeport, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$233/yr.
51 Fair offer
Bridgeport, CT → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$233/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Bridgeport, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Bridgeport, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Bridgeport, CT | Real change, Boulder → Bridgeport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $72,737 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $88,005 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $105,481 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $125,431 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $148,222 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Bridgeport, CT | Bridgeport pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $98,600 | $97,067 (+20.4%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $162,650 | $160,120 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $102,020 | $100,433 (+0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $105,660 | $104,017 (+0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.