City comparison
Spokane, WA vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Spokane, WA (100.3) and Waterbury, CT (99.8, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Spokane, WA goes as far as $99,400 in Waterbury, CT.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,445 a month in Waterbury, CT versus $1,193 in Spokane, WA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 18% in Spokane, WA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Spokane, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.2% moving from Spokane, WA to Waterbury, CT ($106,991 → $125,431), while prices change by −0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.9% in real buying power.
- Spokane, WA: price level 100.3 (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
| Spokane, WA | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,434 in Waterbury | $100,569 in Spokane |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,193/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $54,660 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Spokane, WA HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Spokane | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 91.2 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Spokane, WA → Waterbury, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
71 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Spokane, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Spokane, WA is in the Spokane-Spokane Valley-Coeur d'Alene, WA-ID pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Spokane, WA to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Spokane, WA | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Spokane → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,044 | $72,737 | +17.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,068 | $88,005 | +17.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,974 | $105,481 | +17.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,991 | $125,431 | +17.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,432 | $148,222 | +17.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Spokane, WA | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Spokane dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,800 | $79,640 | $80,093 (−18.9%) |
| Software Developers | $130,690 | $131,290 | $132,037 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,350 | $93,010 | $93,539 (+8.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $111,750 | $101,690 | $102,269 (−8.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.