City comparison
Bridgeport, CT vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 7.1% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $107,100 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 $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- Both are in CT, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,925 a year on $100,000.
- 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 Waterbury, CT changes real buying power by +7.1%, purely from prices.
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (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
| Bridgeport, CT | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,369 in Waterbury | $107,102 in Bridgeport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,100/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,470 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bridgeport | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 150.5 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 147.1 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 106.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bridgeport, CT → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
91 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
35 Weak 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 Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bridgeport, CT | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Bridgeport → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $72,737 | +7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $88,005 | +7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $105,481 | +7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $125,431 | +7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $148,222 | +7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bridgeport, CT | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Bridgeport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,600 | $79,640 | $85,296 (−13.5%) |
| Software Developers | $162,650 | $131,290 | $140,614 (−13.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,020 | $93,010 | $99,615 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | $101,690 | $108,912 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.