City comparison
Madison, WI vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 2.6% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $102,600 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,482 a month in Madison, WI and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,919 a year in WI and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Madison, WI to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.9% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,560 in Waterbury | $97,503 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$6/yr.
61 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$6/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI 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 Madison, WI to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Madison → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +14.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +14.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +14.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +14.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +14.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $79,640 | $77,652 (+21.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $131,290 | $128,012 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $93,010 | $90,688 (+11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $101,690 | $99,151 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.