City comparison
Green Bay, WI vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 7.2% higher than in Green Bay, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Green Bay, WI would need about $107,200 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 $931 in Green Bay, WI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 15% in Green Bay, WI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,919 a year in WI and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Green Bay, WI to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.9% in real buying power.
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (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
| Green Bay, WI | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,189 in Waterbury | $93,293 in Green Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $931/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,940 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Green Bay | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.7 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Green Bay, WI → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$6/yr.
48 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Green Bay, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$6/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Green Bay, WI 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 Green Bay, WI to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Green Bay, WI | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Green Bay → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Green Bay, WI | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Green Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,600 | $79,640 | $74,299 (+22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $103,160 | $131,290 | $122,485 (+18.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,720 | $93,010 | $86,772 (+11.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,700 | $101,690 | $94,870 (+12.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.