City comparison
Sacramento, CA vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 6.9% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $106,900 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,145 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.3% moving from Sacramento, CA to Waterbury, CT ($117,984 → $125,431), while prices change by −6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.7% in real buying power.
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (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
| Sacramento, CA | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.7 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,539 in Waterbury | $106,907 in Sacramento |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,832/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 | 30% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,750 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Sacramento | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 130.2 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 151.3 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 106.7 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Sacramento, CA → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,145/yr.
90 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,145/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Sacramento, CA is in the Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Sacramento, CA to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Sacramento, CA | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Sacramento → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,419 | $72,737 | +13.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,780 | $88,005 | +13.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,218 | $105,481 | +13.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,984 | $125,431 | +13.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $139,422 | $148,222 | +13.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Sacramento, CA | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Sacramento dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $103,390 | $79,640 | $85,141 (−17.7%) |
| Software Developers | $139,640 | $131,290 | $140,359 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,110 | $93,010 | $99,435 (+8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $171,460 | $101,690 | $108,714 (−36.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.