City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 4.6% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $104,600 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 $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,957 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.1% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Waterbury, CT ($110,865 → $125,431), while prices change by +4.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,622 in Waterbury | $95,582 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,957/yr.
55 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,957/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Cincinnati → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $72,737 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $88,005 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $105,481 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $125,431 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $148,222 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $79,640 | $76,122 (+17.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $131,290 | $125,490 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $93,010 | $88,901 (+10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $101,690 | $97,198 (+16.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.