City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 5.1% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $105,100 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,352 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.1% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Waterbury, CT ($116,038 → $125,431), while prices change by −4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.6% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Minneapolis, MN | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,188 in Waterbury | $105,055 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,352/yr.
85 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,352/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Minneapolis → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $72,737 | +13.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $88,005 | +13.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $105,481 | +13.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $125,431 | +13.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $148,222 | +13.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $79,640 | $83,666 (+4.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $131,290 | $137,927 (+5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $93,010 | $97,712 (+13.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $101,690 | $106,831 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.