City comparison
Kansas City, MO vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 7.8% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $107,800 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 $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,763 a year in MO and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.0% moving from Kansas City, MO to Waterbury, CT ($108,173 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (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
| Kansas City, MO | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.5 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,818 in Waterbury | $92,749 in Kansas City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,197/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,820 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Kansas City, MO-KS and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kansas City | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 93.4 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 92.5 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kansas City, MO → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$162/yr.
46 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$162/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Kansas City, MO is in the Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Kansas City, MO to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kansas City, MO | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Kansas City → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,729 | $72,737 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,897 | $88,005 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,968 | $105,481 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,173 | $125,431 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,829 | $148,222 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kansas City, MO | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Kansas City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,060 | $79,640 | $73,865 (+21.0%) |
| Software Developers | $124,990 | $131,290 | $121,770 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $93,010 | $86,266 (+7.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,040 | $101,690 | $94,316 (+13.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.