City comparison
Boulder, CO vs New Haven, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Boulder, CO (105.2) and New Haven, CT (104.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Boulder, CO goes as far as $99,400 in New Haven, CT.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,591 in New Haven, CT. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 25% in New Haven, CT.
- 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 New Haven, CT ($118,675 → $125,431), while prices change by −0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.3% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- New Haven, CT: price level 104.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | New Haven, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 104.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,389 in New Haven | $100,615 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,591/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% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $60,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and New Haven, CT MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and New Haven, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | New Haven |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 124.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 144.8 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 104.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → New Haven, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$233/yr.
70 Strong offer
New Haven, CT → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$233/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; New Haven, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to New Haven, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | New Haven, CT | Real change, Boulder → New Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $72,737 | +6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $88,005 | +6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $105,481 | +6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $125,431 | +6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $148,222 | +6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | New Haven, CT | New Haven pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $79,820 | $80,311 (−0.4%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $133,040 | $133,858 (−18.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $94,960 | $95,544 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $104,490 | $105,133 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.