City comparison
Durham, NC vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 2.3% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $102,300 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,507 a month in Durham, NC and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Durham, NC to Waterbury, CT ($111,147 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.4% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,261 in Waterbury | $97,789 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
62 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Durham → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $72,737 | +10.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $88,005 | +10.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $105,481 | +10.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $125,431 | +10.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $148,222 | +10.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $79,640 | $77,879 (+51.5%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $131,290 | $128,387 (−5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $93,010 | $90,954 (+6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $101,690 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.