City comparison
New York, NY vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 12.8% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $112,800 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $935 a year higher in New York, NY than in Waterbury, CT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $125,431 in either. A transfer from New York, NY to Waterbury, CT changes real buying power by +12.8%, purely from prices.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much 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
| New York, NY | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,642 in Waterbury | $112,813 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$935/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$935/yr.
11 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from New York, NY to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | Waterbury, CT | Real change, New York → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $72,737 | +12.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $88,005 | +12.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $105,481 | +12.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $125,431 | +12.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $148,222 | +12.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $79,640 | $89,845 (−7.3%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $131,290 | $148,113 (−11.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $93,010 | $104,928 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $101,690 | $114,720 (−4.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.