City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Las Vegas, NV (100.2) and Waterbury, CT (99.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Las Vegas, NV goes as far as $99,600 in Waterbury, CT.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.4% moving from Las Vegas, NV to Waterbury, CT ($108,719 → $125,431), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.9% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
- 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
| Las Vegas, NV | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,564 in Waterbury | $100,438 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
70 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Las Vegas, NV
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Las Vegas → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $72,737 | +15.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $88,005 | +15.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $105,481 | +15.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $125,431 | +15.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $148,222 | +15.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $79,640 | $79,989 (+23.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $131,290 | $131,865 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $93,010 | $93,417 (+16.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $101,690 | $102,135 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.