City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 12.0% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $112,000 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 $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $657 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Jackson, MS to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +12.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (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
| Jackson, MS | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,050 in Waterbury | $89,246 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$657/yr.
38 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$657/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS 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 Jackson, MS to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Jackson → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $79,640 | $71,076 (+41.5%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $131,290 | $117,171 (+20.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $93,010 | $83,008 (+17.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $101,690 | $90,754 (+9.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.