City comparison
South Bend, IN vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 7.5% higher than in South Bend, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in South Bend, IN would need about $107,500 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 $1,105 in South Bend, IN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 17% in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,005 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in South Bend, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from South Bend, IN to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.7% in real buying power.
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (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
| South Bend, IN | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,452 in Waterbury | $93,065 in South Bend |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,105/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,540 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | South Bend | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.6 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 87.7 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
South Bend, IN → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,005/yr.
47 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → South Bend, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,005/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
South Bend, IN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from South Bend, IN to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | South Bend, IN | Waterbury, CT | Real change, South Bend → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +9.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +9.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +9.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +9.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +9.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | South Bend, IN | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in South Bend dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,180 | $79,640 | $74,117 (+27.4%) |
| Software Developers | $95,500 | $131,290 | $122,185 (+27.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,940 | $93,010 | $86,559 (+11.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,540 | $101,690 | $94,637 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.