City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 4.5% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $104,500 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,957 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Columbus, OH to Waterbury, CT ($111,065 → $125,431), while prices change by +4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Columbus, OH | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,514 in Waterbury | $95,681 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,957/yr.
55 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Columbus, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,957/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Columbus → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $72,737 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $88,005 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $105,481 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $125,431 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $148,222 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $79,640 | $76,201 (−2.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $131,290 | $125,620 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $93,010 | $88,993 (+8.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $101,690 | $97,298 (+16.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.