City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 7.8% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $107,800 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 $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,005 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.3% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (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
| Fort Wayne, IN | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,784 in Waterbury | $92,778 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,005/yr.
46 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,005/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN 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 Fort Wayne, IN to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Fort Wayne → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $79,640 | $73,888 (+23.6%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $131,290 | $121,808 (+19.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $93,010 | $86,293 (+14.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $101,690 | $94,346 (+18.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.