City comparison
Waterbury, CT vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 12.2% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $112,200 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Waterbury, CT to Wichita, KS ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.8% in real buying power.
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (about average)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Waterbury, CT | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.8 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,144 in Wichita | $112,178 in Waterbury |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,445/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Waterbury-Shelton, CT and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Waterbury | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.1 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 147.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 99.8 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Waterbury, CT → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
100 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Waterbury, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Waterbury, CT to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Waterbury, CT | Wichita, KS | Real change, Waterbury → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Waterbury, CT | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Waterbury dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $58,640 | $65,781 (−17.4%) |
| Software Developers | $131,290 | $105,980 | $118,886 (−9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,010 | $79,270 | $88,924 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,690 | $76,540 | $85,861 (−15.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.