City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 8.3% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $108,300 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $880 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.4% moving from Rockford, IL to Waterbury, CT ($118,984 → $125,431), while prices change by +8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.6% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (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
| Rockford, IL | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,273 in Waterbury | $92,359 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$880/yr.
45 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$880/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Rockford → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $72,737 | −2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $88,005 | −2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $105,481 | −2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $125,431 | −2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $148,222 | −2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $79,640 | $73,555 (+14.6%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $131,290 | $121,258 (+12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $93,010 | $85,903 (+14.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $101,690 | $93,920 (+16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.