City comparison
Salt Lake City, UT vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 1.1% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $101,100 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $391 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Salt Lake City, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Salt Lake City, UT to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.1% in real buying power.
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (about average)
- 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
| Salt Lake City, UT | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,919 in Waterbury | $101,092 in Salt Lake City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,456/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,240 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Salt Lake City-Murray, UT and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salt Lake City | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 79.0 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salt Lake City, UT → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$391/yr.
72 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Salt Lake City, UT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$391/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salt Lake City, UT 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 Salt Lake City, UT to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salt Lake City, UT | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Salt Lake City → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +19.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +19.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +19.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +19.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +19.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salt Lake City, UT | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Salt Lake City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,920 | $79,640 | $80,510 (+3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,600 | $131,290 | $132,724 (+2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,100 | $93,010 | $94,026 (+14.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $85,890 | $101,690 | $102,801 (+19.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.