City comparison
Salinas, CA vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salinas, CA are 9.3% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $109,300 in Salinas, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,232 a month in Salinas, CA versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 36% of take-home pay in Salinas, CA and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,145 a year higher in Salinas, CA than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.7% moving from Salinas, CA to Waterbury, CT ($133,060 → $125,431), while prices change by −8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Salinas, CA: price level 109.0 (much 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
| Salinas, CA | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 109.0 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,504 in Waterbury | $109,285 in Salinas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,232/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 | 36% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,380 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Salinas, CA MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Salinas, CA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salinas | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 145.7 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 154.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 109.0 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salinas, CA → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,145/yr.
98 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Salinas, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 36% of take-home; state tax +$1,145/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salinas, CA is in the San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Salinas, CA to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salinas, CA | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Salinas → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $72,737 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $88,005 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $105,481 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $125,431 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $148,222 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salinas, CA | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Salinas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $100,220 | $79,640 | $87,034 (−13.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,160 | $131,290 | $143,480 (+6.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,810 | $93,010 | $101,646 (+21.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $134,910 | $101,690 | $111,132 (−17.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.