City comparison
Denver, CO vs New Haven, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 1.2% higher than in New Haven, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in New Haven, CT would need about $101,200 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,591 in New Haven, CT. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 25% in New Haven, CT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Denver, CO to New Haven, CT ($118,675 → $125,431), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.9% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- New Haven, CT: price level 104.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Denver, CO | New Haven, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 104.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,844 in New Haven | $101,170 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,591/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $60,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and New Haven, CT MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and New Haven, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | New Haven |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 124.3 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 144.8 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 104.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → New Haven, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$233/yr.
72 Strong offer
New Haven, CT → Denver, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$233/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; New Haven, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to New Haven, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | New Haven, CT | Real change, Denver → New Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $72,737 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $88,005 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $105,481 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $125,431 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $148,222 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | New Haven, CT | New Haven pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $79,820 | $80,754 (+5.0%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $133,040 | $134,596 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $94,960 | $96,071 (−3.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $104,490 | $105,712 (+4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.