City comparison
Chicago, IL vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chicago, IL are 3.8% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $103,800 in Chicago, IL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Chicago, IL versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Chicago, IL and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $880 a year higher in Chicago, IL than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.4% moving from Chicago, IL to Waterbury, CT ($118,984 → $125,431), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.5% in real buying power.
- Chicago, IL: price level 103.6 (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
| Chicago, IL | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,315 in Waterbury | $103,825 in Chicago |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,720 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chicago | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 112.0 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 83.6 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 100.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chicago, IL → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$880/yr.
81 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Chicago, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$880/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chicago, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Chicago, IL to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chicago, IL | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Chicago → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $72,737 | +9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $88,005 | +9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $105,481 | +9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $125,431 | +9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $148,222 | +9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chicago, IL | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Chicago dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,390 | $79,640 | $82,687 (+5.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,380 | $131,290 | $136,312 (+1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,360 | $93,010 | $96,568 (+17.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,490 | $101,690 | $105,580 (+5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.