City comparison
Montgomery, AL vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 11.3% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $111,300 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $810 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Montgomery, AL to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.9% in real buying power.
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (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
| Montgomery, AL | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.7 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,258 in Waterbury | $89,882 in Montgomery |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $870/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,950 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Montgomery, AL MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Montgomery, AL and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Montgomery | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 84.9 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 89.7 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Montgomery, AL → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$810/yr.
38 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$810/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Montgomery, AL 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 Montgomery, AL to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Montgomery, AL | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Montgomery → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Montgomery, AL | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Montgomery dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,610 | $79,640 | $71,582 (+20.1%) |
| Software Developers | $110,620 | $131,290 | $118,005 (+6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,040 | $93,010 | $83,599 (+11.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,570 | $101,690 | $91,401 (+14.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.