City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Phoenix, AZ are 3.5% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $103,500 in Phoenix, AZ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Phoenix, AZ and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,634 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.7% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Waterbury, CT ($111,338 → $125,431), while prices change by −3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.7% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (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
| Phoenix, AZ | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,576 in Waterbury | $103,546 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,634/yr.
80 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Phoenix, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,634/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Phoenix → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $72,737 | +16.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $88,005 | +16.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $105,481 | +16.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $125,431 | +16.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $148,222 | +16.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $79,640 | $82,464 (+39.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $131,290 | $135,945 (+3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $93,010 | $96,308 (+19.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $101,690 | $105,296 (+4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.