City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 9.1% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $109,100 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (much 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
| Chattanooga, TN | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,090 in Waterbury | $91,668 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
43 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chattanooga, TN to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Chattanooga → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $79,640 | $73,004 (+22.0%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $131,290 | $120,350 (+12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $93,010 | $85,260 (+11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $101,690 | $93,217 (+16.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.