City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 5.9% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $105,900 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Manchester, NH to Waterbury, CT ($120,548 → $125,431), while prices change by −5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.2% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (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
| Manchester, NH | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,436 in Waterbury | $105,892 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
87 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Manchester → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $72,737 | +10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $88,005 | +10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $105,481 | +10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $125,431 | +10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $148,222 | +10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $79,640 | $84,332 (+14.9%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $131,290 | $139,026 (−14.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $93,010 | $98,490 (+17.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $101,690 | $107,682 (+9.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.