City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 3.0% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $103,000 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- Both are in CT, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,925 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Waterbury, CT ($120,094 → $125,431), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.6% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (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
| Hartford, CT | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,111 in Waterbury | $102,975 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
78 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Hartford → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $72,737 | +7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $88,005 | +7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $105,481 | +7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $125,431 | +7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $148,222 | +7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $79,640 | $82,009 (+2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $131,290 | $135,195 (+2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $93,010 | $95,777 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $101,690 | $104,715 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.