City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 9.0% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $109,000 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 $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $255 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Lincoln, NE to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +9.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.2% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much 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
| Lincoln, NE | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,951 in Waterbury | $91,785 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$255/yr.
43 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$255/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE 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 Lincoln, NE to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Lincoln → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $79,640 | $73,097 (+18.0%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $131,290 | $120,504 (+18.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $93,010 | $85,369 (+31.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $101,690 | $93,336 (+6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.