City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 2.5% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $102,500 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.3% moving from Charlotte, NC to Waterbury, CT ($108,810 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.5% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- 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
| Charlotte, NC | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,496 in Waterbury | $97,565 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
61 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Charlotte → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $72,737 | +12.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $88,005 | +12.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $105,481 | +12.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $125,431 | +12.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $148,222 | +12.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $79,640 | $77,700 (+32.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $131,290 | $128,093 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $93,010 | $90,745 (−2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $101,690 | $99,213 (+9.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.