City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 2.9% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $102,900 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 $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,919 a year in WI and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.7% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Waterbury, CT ($111,310 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.5% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,931 in Waterbury | $97,153 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$6/yr.
60 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$6/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Milwaukee → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $72,737 | +9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $88,005 | +9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $105,481 | +9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $125,431 | +9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $148,222 | +9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $79,640 | $77,372 (+25.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $131,290 | $127,552 (+3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $93,010 | $90,362 (+12.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $101,690 | $98,795 (+1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.