City comparison
Kiryas Joel, NY vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 9.7% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $109,700 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,549 a month in Kiryas Joel, NY versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Kiryas Joel, NY and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $935 a year higher in Kiryas Joel, NY than in Waterbury, CT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $125,431 in either. A transfer from Kiryas Joel, NY to Waterbury, CT changes real buying power by +9.7%, purely from prices.
- Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much pricier)
- 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
| Kiryas Joel, NY | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 109.4 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,186 in Waterbury | $109,665 in Kiryas Joel |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,549/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,990 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kiryas Joel | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.8 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 136.8 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 106.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 109.4 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kiryas Joel, NY → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$935/yr.
99 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Kiryas Joel, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$935/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Kiryas Joel, NY to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Kiryas Joel → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $72,737 | +9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $88,005 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $105,481 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $125,431 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $148,222 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Kiryas Joel dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $81,770 | $79,640 | $87,338 (+6.8%) |
| Software Developers | $145,830 | $131,290 | $143,980 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,900 | $93,010 | $102,000 (+14.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $102,890 | $101,690 | $111,519 (+8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.