City comparison
Waterbury, CT vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 14.2% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $114,200 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,957 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Waterbury, CT to Youngstown, OH ($125,431 → $111,138), while prices change by −12.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.2% in real buying power.
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (about average)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Waterbury, CT | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.8 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,588 in Youngstown | $114,170 in Waterbury |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,445/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Waterbury-Shelton, CT and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Waterbury | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.1 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 147.6 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 99.8 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Waterbury, CT → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.2%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,957/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,957/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Waterbury, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Waterbury, CT to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Waterbury, CT | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Waterbury → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $64,448 | +1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $77,977 | +1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $93,461 | +1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $111,138 | +1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $131,331 | +1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Waterbury, CT | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Waterbury dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $72,560 | $82,842 (+4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $131,290 | $107,990 | $123,293 (−6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,010 | $73,080 | $83,436 (−10.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,690 | $78,680 | $89,829 (−11.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.