City comparison
Huntington, WV vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 12.8% higher than in Huntington, WV. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntington, WV would need about $112,800 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 $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,885 a year in WV and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Huntington, WV to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much 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
| Huntington, WV | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.4 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,843 in Waterbury | $88,619 in Huntington |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $853/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,295 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,885 (WV) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,600 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntington | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 51.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 88.4 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntington, WV → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$40/yr.
38 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Huntington, WV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$40/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntington, WV 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 Huntington, WV to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntington, WV | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Huntington → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntington, WV | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Huntington dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,450 | $79,640 | $70,576 (+22.8%) |
| Software Developers | $110,780 | $131,290 | $116,348 (+5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,840 | $93,010 | $82,424 (+16.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,010 | $101,690 | $90,116 (+11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.