City comparison
Waterbury, CT vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 3.5% higher than in Wilmington, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Wilmington, NC would need about $103,500 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT and $1,513 in Wilmington, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Wilmington, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Waterbury, CT to Wilmington, NC ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.2% in real buying power.
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (about average)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Waterbury, CT | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.8 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,637 in Wilmington | $103,481 in Waterbury |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,445/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Waterbury-Shelton, CT and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Waterbury | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.1 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 147.6 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 99.8 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Waterbury, CT → Wilmington, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
80 Strong offer
Wilmington, NC → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Waterbury, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Waterbury, CT to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Waterbury, CT | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Waterbury → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −12.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −12.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −12.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −12.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −12.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Waterbury, CT | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Waterbury dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $48,240 | $49,919 (−37.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,290 | $123,730 | $128,036 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,010 | $77,920 | $80,632 (−13.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,690 | $80,970 | $83,788 (−17.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.