City comparison
Albany, NY vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Albany, NY (99.6) and Waterbury, CT (99.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Albany, NY goes as far as $100,200 in Waterbury, CT.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,417 a month in Albany, NY and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $935 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.2% moving from Albany, NY to Waterbury, CT ($109,810 → $125,431), while prices change by +0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- 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
| Albany, NY | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,213 in Waterbury | $99,788 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$935/yr.
68 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Albany, NY
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$935/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Albany → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $72,737 | +14.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $88,005 | +14.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $105,481 | +14.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $125,431 | +14.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $148,222 | +14.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $79,640 | $79,471 (+0.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $131,290 | $131,011 (+2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $93,010 | $92,812 (+9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $101,690 | $101,474 (+1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.