City comparison
Lubbock, TX vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 9.3% higher than in Lubbock, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Lubbock, TX would need about $109,300 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 $990 in Lubbock, TX. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 15% in Lubbock, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Lubbock, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Lubbock, TX to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +9.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (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
| Lubbock, TX | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.3 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,266 in Waterbury | $91,520 in Lubbock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $990/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,130 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Lubbock, TX and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lubbock | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.4 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 82.8 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 91.3 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lubbock, TX → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
42 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Lubbock, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lubbock, TX 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 Lubbock, TX to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lubbock, TX | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Lubbock → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lubbock, TX | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Lubbock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,220 | $79,640 | $72,887 (+23.1%) |
| Software Developers | $115,190 | $131,290 | $120,157 (+4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,390 | $93,010 | $85,123 (+14.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,480 | $101,690 | $93,067 (+14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.