City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 8.6% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $108,600 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $255 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.7% moving from Omaha, NE to Waterbury, CT ($107,501 → $125,431), while prices change by +8.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (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
| Omaha, NE | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,559 in Waterbury | $92,115 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$255/yr.
44 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$255/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Omaha → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $72,737 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $88,005 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $105,481 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $125,431 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $148,222 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,670 | $79,640 | $73,361 (+17.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $131,290 | $120,938 (−3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $93,010 | $85,677 (+11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $101,690 | $93,672 (+10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.