City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 7.7% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $107,700 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 $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.3% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Waterbury, CT ($106,955 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.9% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,669 in Waterbury | $92,877 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
46 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Corpus Christi → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $72,737 | +8.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $88,005 | +8.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $105,481 | +8.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $125,431 | +8.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $148,222 | +8.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $79,640 | $73,967 (+22.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $131,290 | $121,938 (−1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $93,010 | $86,385 (+14.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $101,690 | $94,447 (+14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.