City comparison
Huntsville, AL 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 Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL 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 $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $810 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.2% moving from Huntsville, AL to Waterbury, CT ($110,847 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.6% in real buying power.
- Huntsville, AL: 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
| Huntsville, AL | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,205 in Waterbury | $93,279 in Huntsville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,136/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,740 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Huntsville, AL MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Huntsville, AL and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Huntsville | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 77.9 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 83.9 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Huntsville, AL → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$810/yr.
48 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$810/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Huntsville, AL is in the Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Huntsville, AL to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Huntsville, AL | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Huntsville → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,279 | $72,737 | +5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,772 | $88,005 | +5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,216 | $105,481 | +5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,847 | $125,431 | +5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,987 | $148,222 | +5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Huntsville, AL | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Huntsville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,250 | $79,640 | $74,287 (+19.3%) |
| Software Developers | $128,080 | $131,290 | $122,466 (−4.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,220 | $93,010 | $86,759 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,090 | $101,690 | $94,855 (+23.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.