City comparison
Providence, RI vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 2.0% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $102,000 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,402 a month in Providence, RI and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $777 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Providence, RI to Waterbury, CT ($120,548 → $125,431), while prices change by −2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.1% in real buying power.
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (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
| Providence, RI | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.8 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,040 in Waterbury | $101,999 in Providence |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,402/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (RI) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $53,680 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Providence-Warwick, RI-MA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Providence | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.9 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 97.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 148.8 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 102.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 101.8 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Providence, RI → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$777/yr.
75 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$777/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Providence, RI 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 Providence, RI to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Providence, RI | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Providence → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $72,737 | +6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $88,005 | +6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $105,481 | +6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $125,431 | +6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $148,222 | +6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Providence, RI | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Providence dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $86,720 | $79,640 | $81,232 (−6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $131,290 | $133,915 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,020 | $93,010 | $94,870 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,880 | $101,690 | $103,723 (+3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.