City comparison
Knoxville, TN 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 Knoxville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Knoxville, TN 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 $1,184 in Knoxville, TN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 18% in Knoxville, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Knoxville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Knoxville, TN to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.3% in real buying power.
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (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
| Knoxville, TN | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,788 in Waterbury | $92,775 in Knoxville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,184/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,080 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Knoxville, TN and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Knoxville | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 82.8 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 71.9 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Knoxville, TN → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
46 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Knoxville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Knoxville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Knoxville, TN to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Knoxville, TN | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Knoxville → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Knoxville, TN | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Knoxville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,980 | $79,640 | $73,886 (+19.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,750 | $131,290 | $121,804 (+0.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,380 | $93,010 | $86,290 (+14.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,240 | $101,690 | $94,343 (+22.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.