City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 2.8% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $102,800 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 $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $935 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.0% moving from Rochester, NY to Waterbury, CT ($107,182 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.8% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (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
| Rochester, NY | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,827 in Waterbury | $97,251 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$935/yr.
60 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$935/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Rochester → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $72,737 | +13.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $88,005 | +13.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $105,481 | +13.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $125,431 | +13.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $148,222 | +13.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $79,640 | $77,451 (+23.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $131,290 | $127,681 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $93,010 | $90,453 (+11.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $101,690 | $98,894 (+14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.