City comparison
Cleveland, 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 6.2% higher than in Cleveland, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cleveland, OH would need about $106,200 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 $1,058 in Cleveland, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 16% in Cleveland, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,957 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Cleveland, OH to Waterbury, CT ($111,138 → $125,431), while prices change by +6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,234 in Waterbury | $94,132 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,957/yr.
50 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Cleveland, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,957/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cleveland, OH to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Cleveland → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $72,737 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $88,005 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $105,481 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $125,431 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $148,222 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $79,640 | $74,967 (−2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $131,290 | $123,586 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $93,010 | $87,552 (+9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $101,690 | $95,723 (+14.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.