City comparison
Raleigh, NC vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 1.7% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $101,700 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Raleigh, NC to Waterbury, CT ($111,147 → $125,431), while prices change by +1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.0% in real buying power.
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (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
| Raleigh, NC | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,651 in Waterbury | $98,375 in Raleigh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,596/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,990 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Raleigh-Cary, NC and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Raleigh | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 103.5 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Raleigh, NC → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
64 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Raleigh, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Raleigh, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Raleigh, NC to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Raleigh, NC | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Raleigh → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $72,737 | +11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $88,005 | +11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $105,481 | +11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $125,431 | +11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $148,222 | +11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Raleigh, NC | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Raleigh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,170 | $79,640 | $78,346 (+30.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,770 | $131,290 | $129,157 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,950 | $93,010 | $91,499 (+11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,830 | $101,690 | $100,038 (+17.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.