City comparison
Bridgeport, CT vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 14.2% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $114,200 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Bridgeport, CT than in Scranton, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Bridgeport, CT to Scranton, PA ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −12.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.1% in real buying power.
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (pricier)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Bridgeport, CT | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.9 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,547 in Scranton | $114,225 in Bridgeport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,100/mo | $1,028/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,470 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bridgeport | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 150.5 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 147.1 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 106.9 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bridgeport, CT → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
100 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.5%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bridgeport, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bridgeport, CT to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bridgeport, CT | Scranton, PA | Real change, Bridgeport → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bridgeport, CT | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Bridgeport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,600 | $76,590 | $87,485 (−11.3%) |
| Software Developers | $162,650 | $119,960 | $137,024 (−15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,020 | $70,480 | $80,506 (−21.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | $82,650 | $94,407 (−10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.