City comparison
Portland, ME vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 2.1% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $102,100 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,729 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Portland, ME to Waterbury, CT ($120,548 → $125,431), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- 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
| Portland, ME | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,958 in Waterbury | $102,085 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,729/yr.
75 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,729/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Portland → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $72,737 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $88,005 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $105,481 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $125,431 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $148,222 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $79,640 | $81,300 (+5.9%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $131,290 | $134,027 (+4.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $93,010 | $94,949 (+19.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $101,690 | $103,810 (+17.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.