City comparison
New Haven, CT vs Phoenix, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New Haven, CT are 1.2% higher than in Phoenix, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Phoenix, AZ would need about $101,200 in New Haven, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,591 a month in New Haven, CT and $1,583 in Phoenix, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,634 a year higher in New Haven, CT than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.2% moving from New Haven, CT to Phoenix, AZ ($125,431 → $111,338), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.2% in real buying power.
- New Haven, CT: price level 104.6 (pricier)
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| New Haven, CT | Phoenix, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.6 | 103.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,811 in Phoenix | $101,203 in New Haven |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,591/mo | $1,583/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,060 | $51,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ |
Rent areas: New Haven, CT MSA and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA. Metro areas: New Haven, CT and Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New Haven | Phoenix |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 124.3 | 121.2 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 95.0 |
| Utilities | 144.8 | 93.3 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 104.0 |
| Overall | 104.6 | 103.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New Haven, CT → Phoenix, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,634/yr.
73 Strong offer
Phoenix, AZ → New Haven, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,634/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
New Haven, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Phoenix, AZ is in Phoenix-Mesa, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from New Haven, CT to Phoenix, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New Haven, CT | Phoenix, AZ | Real change, New Haven → Phoenix |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $64,564 | −10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $78,117 | −10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $93,629 | −10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $111,338 | −10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $131,568 | −10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New Haven, CT | Phoenix, AZ | Phoenix pay in New Haven dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,820 | $59,180 | $59,892 (−25.0%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $131,750 | $133,335 (+0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,960 | $80,820 | $81,792 (−13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $104,490 | $100,830 | $102,043 (−2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.