City comparison

Bridgeport, CT vs New York, NY

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

  • Prices in New York, NY are 5.3% higher than in Bridgeport, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Bridgeport, CT would need about $105,300 in New York, NY to live the same way.
  • Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $2,100 in Bridgeport, CT. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 33% in Bridgeport, CT.
  • On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $935 a year higher in New York, NY than in Bridgeport, CT.
  • Both cities are in the same federal pay area (New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $125,431 in either. A transfer from Bridgeport, CT to New York, NY changes real buying power by −5.1%, purely from prices.
BridgeportNew York
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (pricier)
  • New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much pricier)

Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.

Side by side

Bridgeport, CTNew York, NY
Price level (U.S. = 100)2106.9112.6
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$105,333 in New York$94,937 in Bridgeport
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$2,100/mo$2,655/mo
Take-home on $100,00014,15,8$75,255$74,320
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8$3,925 (CT)$4,860 (NY)
Rent burden on $100,00033%43%
Median pay, all jobs4$61,470$61,430
Federal locality pay area7New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PANew York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA

Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ.

What costs more or less

Bridgeport, CTNew York, NY
Price level (U.S. = 100)BridgeportNew York
Housing (rent)150.5148.6
Goods97.3110.3
Utilities147.1127.0
Other services102.7105.8
Overall106.9112.6
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Bridgeport, CT → New York, NY

Same pay buys less

Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$935/yr.

26 Weak offer

New York, NY → Bridgeport, CT

Same pay goes further

Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$935/yr.

73 Strong offer

On the GS pay scale?

Both metros are in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Bridgeport, CT to New York, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Bridgeport, CTNew York, NYReal change, Bridgeport → New York
GS-9 step 1$72,737$72,737−5.1%
GS-11 step 1$88,005$88,005−5.1%
GS-12 step 1$105,481$105,481−5.1%
GS-13 step 1$125,431$125,431−5.1%
GS-14 step 1$148,222$148,222−5.1%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Bridgeport, CTNew York, NYNew York pay in Bridgeport dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$98,600$96,900$91,994 (−6.7%)
Software Developers$162,650$166,830$158,383 (−2.6%)
Accountants and Auditors$102,020$105,650$100,301 (−1.7%)
Registered Nurses$105,660$119,720$113,659 (+7.6%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Check your own offer

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Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.

Notes & Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan Statistical Area population estimates (Vintage 2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by MSA (MARPP), all items (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan areas (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule (GS) pay rates with locality pay, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  6. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Locality codes used in the 2026 GS pay spreadsheet (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  7. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 Locality Pay Area Definitions (counties in each pay area) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  8. Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file: states, 1:20,000,000 (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer file: core based statistical areas (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table C24010 (occupation of employed residents) by ZIP code area (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Tabulation Area relationship files (2020; Connecticut 2022) and Gazetteer locations (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary files (ZIP code areas 2020; counties and states 2024) and TIGER/Line primary roads (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  14. Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  15. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide for 2026 (Social Security and Medicare) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.