City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charleston, SC are 1.2% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $101,200 in Charleston, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $918 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Charleston, SC to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +19.2% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (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
| Charleston, SC | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,827 in Waterbury | $101,187 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$918/yr.
72 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Charleston, SC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$918/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charleston, SC to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Charleston → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +19.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +19.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +19.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +19.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +19.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $79,640 | $80,585 (+32.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $131,290 | $132,848 (+0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $93,010 | $94,114 (+18.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $101,690 | $102,897 (+10.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.