City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 1.1% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $101,100 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.8% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Waterbury, CT ($117,402 → $125,431), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,908 in Waterbury | $101,104 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$74/yr.
72 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Ann Arbor, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$74/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Ann Arbor → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $72,737 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $88,005 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $105,481 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $125,431 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $148,222 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $79,640 | $80,520 (+25.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $131,290 | $132,740 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $93,010 | $94,037 (+17.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $101,690 | $102,813 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.