City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 2.0% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $102,000 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,011 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Richmond, VA to Waterbury, CT ($111,183 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.6% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
- 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
| Richmond, VA | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,962 in Waterbury | $98,076 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,011/yr.
63 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Richmond, VA
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,011/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Richmond → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $72,737 | +10.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $88,005 | +10.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $105,481 | +10.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $125,431 | +10.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $148,222 | +10.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $79,640 | $78,108 (+27.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $131,290 | $128,764 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $93,010 | $91,220 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $101,690 | $99,733 (+6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.