City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 5.4% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $105,400 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 23% in Waterbury, 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 Waterbury, CT ($118,675 → $125,431), while prices change by −5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.4% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (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
| Boulder, CO | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,844 in Waterbury | $105,436 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,445/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% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$233/yr.
86 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$233/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Boulder → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $72,737 | +11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $88,005 | +11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $105,481 | +11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $125,431 | +11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $148,222 | +11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $79,640 | $83,969 (+4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $131,290 | $138,427 (−15.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $93,010 | $98,066 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $101,690 | $107,218 (+3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.