City comparison
Waterbury, CT vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 8.4% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $108,400 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 $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Waterbury, CT to Winston, NC ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.0% in real buying power.
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (about average)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Waterbury, CT | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.8 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,248 in Winston | $108,404 in Waterbury |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,445/mo | $1,082/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% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Waterbury-Shelton, CT and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Waterbury | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.1 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 147.6 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 99.8 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Waterbury, CT → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
95 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Waterbury, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Waterbury, CT to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Waterbury, CT | Winston, NC | Real change, Waterbury → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Waterbury, CT | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Waterbury dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $56,510 | $61,259 (−23.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,290 | $124,130 | $134,561 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,010 | $78,950 | $85,585 (−8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,690 | $86,120 | $93,357 (−8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.