City comparison
Tuscaloosa, AL vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 13.7% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $113,700 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 $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $810 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.7% moving from Tuscaloosa, AL to Waterbury, CT ($107,510 → $125,431), while prices change by +13.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much 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
| Tuscaloosa, AL | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 87.7 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,743 in Waterbury | $87,917 in Tuscaloosa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $972/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Tuscaloosa, AL and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tuscaloosa | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.2 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 87.7 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tuscaloosa, AL → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$810/yr.
38 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$810/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tuscaloosa, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Tuscaloosa, AL to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tuscaloosa, AL | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Tuscaloosa → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $72,737 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $88,005 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $105,481 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $125,431 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $148,222 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tuscaloosa, AL | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Tuscaloosa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,220 | $79,640 | $70,017 (+16.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,870 | $131,290 | $115,426 (+10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,690 | $93,010 | $81,772 (+14.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $75,250 | $101,690 | $89,403 (+18.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.