City comparison
Dayton, 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 7.6% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $107,600 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 $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,957 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Waterbury, CT ($110,401 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (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
| Dayton, OH | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,642 in Waterbury | $92,900 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/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 | $49,980 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,957/yr.
47 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,957/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Dayton → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $72,737 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $88,005 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $105,481 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $125,431 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $148,222 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $79,640 | $73,986 (−7.9%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $131,290 | $121,969 (+14.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $93,010 | $86,407 (+9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $101,690 | $94,470 (+14.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.