City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 11.7% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $111,700 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 $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Little Rock, AR to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +11.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (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
| Little Rock, AR | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,653 in Waterbury | $89,563 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
38 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR 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 Little Rock, AR to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Little Rock → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $79,640 | $71,328 (+21.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $131,290 | $117,587 (+13.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $93,010 | $83,302 (+26.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $101,690 | $91,076 (+12.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.