City comparison
Denver, CO vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 6.0% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $106,000 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Denver, CO to Waterbury, CT ($118,675 → $125,431), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.1% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (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
| Denver, CO | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,324 in Waterbury | $106,017 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$233/yr.
88 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$233/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Denver → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $72,737 | +12.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $88,005 | +12.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $105,481 | +12.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $125,431 | +12.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $148,222 | +12.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $79,640 | $84,432 (+9.8%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $131,290 | $139,190 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $93,010 | $98,607 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $101,690 | $107,809 (+6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.