City comparison
Stockton, CA vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Stockton, CA are 5.3% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $105,300 in Stockton, CA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,395 a month in Stockton, CA and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,145 a year higher in Stockton, CA than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.7% moving from Stockton, CA to Waterbury, CT ($133,060 → $125,431), while prices change by −5.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Stockton, CA: price level 105.1 (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
| Stockton, CA | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.1 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,946 in Waterbury | $105,323 in Stockton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,395/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 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Stockton-Lodi, CA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Stockton | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.6 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 158.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.1 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Stockton, CA → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,145/yr.
85 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Stockton, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,145/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Stockton, 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 Stockton, CA to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Stockton, CA | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Stockton → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $77,161 | $72,737 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $93,358 | $88,005 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $111,896 | $105,481 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $133,060 | $125,431 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $157,236 | $148,222 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Stockton, CA | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Stockton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $97,400 | $79,640 | $83,879 (−13.9%) |
| Software Developers | $138,550 | $131,290 | $138,278 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,570 | $93,010 | $97,961 (+17.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $134,580 | $101,690 | $107,103 (−20.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.