City comparison
New Haven, CT vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New Haven, CT are 4.8% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $104,800 in New Haven, CT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,591 a month in New Haven, CT versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in New Haven, CT and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- Both are in CT, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,925 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $125,431 in either. A transfer from New Haven, CT to Waterbury, CT changes real buying power by +4.8%, purely from prices.
- New Haven, CT: price level 104.6 (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
| New Haven, CT | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,427 in Waterbury | $104,792 in New Haven |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,591/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,060 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: New Haven, CT MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: New Haven, CT and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New Haven | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 124.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 144.8 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 104.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New Haven, CT → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
84 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → New Haven, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from New Haven, CT to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New Haven, CT | Waterbury, CT | Real change, New Haven → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $72,737 | +4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $88,005 | +4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $105,481 | +4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $125,431 | +4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $148,222 | +4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New Haven, CT | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in New Haven dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,820 | $79,640 | $83,456 (+4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $131,290 | $137,581 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,960 | $93,010 | $97,467 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $104,490 | $101,690 | $106,563 (+2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.