City comparison
Seattle, WA vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Seattle, WA are 11.4% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $111,400 in Seattle, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,146 a month in Seattle, WA versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Seattle, WA and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Seattle, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.8% moving from Seattle, WA to Waterbury, CT ($119,630 → $125,431), while prices change by −10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.8% in real buying power.
- Seattle, WA: price level 111.1 (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
| Seattle, WA | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.1 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,783 in Waterbury | $111,380 in Seattle |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,146/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $72,610 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Seattle-Bellevue, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Seattle | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 151.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 104.0 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 92.8 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 106.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 111.1 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Seattle, WA → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Seattle, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
26 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Seattle, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Seattle, WA to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Seattle, WA | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Seattle → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $72,737 | +16.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $88,005 | +16.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $105,481 | +16.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $125,431 | +16.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $148,222 | +16.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Seattle, WA | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Seattle dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $102,920 | $79,640 | $88,703 (−13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $167,280 | $131,290 | $146,231 (−12.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,370 | $93,010 | $103,595 (+4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $128,260 | $101,690 | $113,263 (−11.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.