City comparison
Tallahassee, FL vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 6.2% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $106,200 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 18% in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Tallahassee, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Tallahassee, FL to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.9% in real buying power.
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
- 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
| Tallahassee, FL | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,238 in Waterbury | $94,128 in Tallahassee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,204/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,520 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Tallahassee, FL and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tallahassee | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 78.5 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 87.5 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tallahassee, FL → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
50 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tallahassee, FL 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 Tallahassee, FL to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tallahassee, FL | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Tallahassee → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +10.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +10.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +10.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +10.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +10.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tallahassee, FL | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Tallahassee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $55,020 | $79,640 | $74,964 (+36.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,800 | $131,290 | $123,581 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $61,840 | $93,010 | $87,548 (+41.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,430 | $101,690 | $95,719 (+20.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.