City comparison
Naples, FL vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Naples, FL are 3.4% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $103,400 in Naples, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,797 a month in Naples, FL versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Naples, FL and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Naples, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Naples, FL to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by −3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +21.9% in real buying power.
- Naples, FL: price level 103.2 (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
| Naples, FL | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,684 in Waterbury | $103,430 in Naples |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,797/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,800 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Naples-Marco Island, FL MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Naples-Marco Island, FL and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Naples | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 129.4 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 103.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Naples, FL → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
79 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Naples, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Naples, FL 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 Naples, FL to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Naples, FL | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Naples → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +21.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +21.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +21.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +21.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +21.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Naples, FL | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Naples dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $79,640 | $82,371 (+36.2%) |
| Software Developers | $130,730 | $131,290 | $135,793 (+3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,570 | $93,010 | $96,200 (+13.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,330 | $101,690 | $105,178 (+12.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.