City comparison
Salem, OR vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 3.9% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $103,900 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,995 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.4% moving from Salem, OR to Waterbury, CT ($114,684 → $125,431), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.6% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (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
| Salem, OR | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,265 in Waterbury | $103,880 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,995/yr.
81 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,995/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Salem → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $72,737 | +13.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $88,005 | +13.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $105,481 | +13.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $125,431 | +13.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $148,222 | +13.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $79,640 | $82,730 (+10.6%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $131,290 | $136,384 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $93,010 | $96,618 (+10.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $101,690 | $105,635 (−19.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.