City comparison
San Francisco, CA vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in San Francisco, CA are 15.9% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $115,900 in San Francisco, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,977 a month in San Francisco, CA versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 48% of take-home pay in San Francisco, CA and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,145 a year higher in San Francisco, CA than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.7% moving from San Francisco, CA to Waterbury, CT ($133,060 → $125,431), while prices change by −13.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.2% in real buying power.
- San Francisco, CA: price level 115.6 (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
| San Francisco, CA | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 115.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,303 in Waterbury | $115,870 in San Francisco |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,977/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 | 48% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $74,260 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: San Francisco, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | San Francisco | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 194.7 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 108.5 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 172.6 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 106.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 115.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
San Francisco, CA → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,145/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → San Francisco, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.7%; rent takes 48% of take-home; state tax +$1,145/yr.
3 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
San Francisco, 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 San Francisco, CA to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | San Francisco, CA | Waterbury, CT | Real change, San Francisco → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $72,737 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $88,005 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $105,481 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $125,431 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $148,222 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | San Francisco, CA | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in San Francisco dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $101,860 | $79,640 | $92,279 (−9.4%) |
| Software Developers | $186,640 | $131,290 | $152,126 (−18.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $110,730 | $93,010 | $107,771 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $186,610 | $101,690 | $117,828 (−36.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.