City comparison
Modesto, CA vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 4.3% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $104,300 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,145 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.7% moving from Modesto, CA to Waterbury, CT ($133,060 → $125,431), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (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
| Modesto, CA | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.1 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,841 in Waterbury | $104,340 in Modesto |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,356/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,610 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Modesto, CA MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Modesto, CA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Modesto | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.5 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 152.3 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 104.1 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Modesto, CA → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,145/yr.
82 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,145/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Modesto, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Modesto, CA to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Modesto, CA | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Modesto → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $72,737 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $88,005 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $105,481 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $125,431 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $148,222 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Modesto, CA | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Modesto dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,640 | $79,640 | $83,096 (−18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $119,770 | $131,290 | $136,988 (+14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,560 | $93,010 | $97,046 (+16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $132,590 | $101,690 | $106,103 (−20.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.