City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 4.7% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $104,700 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $461 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.0% moving from Baltimore, MD to Waterbury, CT ($121,785 → $125,431), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,493 in Waterbury | $104,719 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$461/yr.
83 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$461/yr.
55 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Baltimore → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $72,737 | +7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $88,005 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $105,481 | +7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $125,431 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $148,222 | +7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $138,170 | $126,810 | $132,795 (−3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $131,290 | $137,486 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $93,010 | $97,400 (+14.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $101,690 | $106,489 (+7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.