City comparison
Tampa, FL vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 1.1% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $101,100 in Tampa, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Tampa, FL to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.2% in real buying power.
- Tampa, FL: 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
| Tampa, FL | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,898 in Waterbury | $101,114 in Tampa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,696/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 | 26% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,940 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tampa | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.8 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 95.5 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 88.5 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 97.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tampa, FL → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
72 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Tampa, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tampa, 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 Tampa, FL to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tampa, FL | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Tampa → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +19.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +19.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +19.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +19.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +19.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tampa, FL | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Tampa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,120 | $79,640 | $80,528 (+33.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,450 | $131,290 | $132,753 (+1.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,990 | $93,010 | $94,047 (+19.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $85,470 | $101,690 | $102,823 (+20.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.