City comparison
Peoria, IL vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 9.4% higher than in Peoria, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Peoria, IL would need about $109,400 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 $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $880 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Peoria, IL to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.8% in real buying power.
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (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
| Peoria, IL | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,369 in Waterbury | $91,434 in Peoria |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $818/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,590 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Peoria, IL MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Peoria, IL and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Peoria | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 63.8 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 90.5 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 91.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Peoria, IL → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$880/yr.
42 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Peoria, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$880/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Peoria, IL 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 Peoria, IL to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Peoria, IL | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Peoria → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Peoria, IL | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Peoria dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,440 | $79,640 | $72,818 (+26.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,590 | $131,290 | $120,044 (−8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,540 | $93,010 | $85,043 (+6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $101,690 | $92,979 (+14.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.