City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 1.8% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $101,800 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,995 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Eugene, OR to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by −1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +20.0% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (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
| Eugene, OR | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,238 in Waterbury | $101,794 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,995/yr.
74 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,995/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR 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 Eugene, OR to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Eugene → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +20.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +20.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +20.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +20.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +20.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $79,640 | $81,069 (+26.2%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $131,290 | $133,645 (+10.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $93,010 | $94,679 (+18.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $101,690 | $103,514 (−9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.