City comparison
Springfield, MA vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 3.9% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $103,900 in Waterbury, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA and $1,445 in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Springfield, MA to Waterbury, CT ($120,094 → $125,431), while prices change by +3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (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
| Springfield, MA | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.1 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,869 in Waterbury | $96,275 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,930 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Springfield, MA MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Springfield, MA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.8 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 97.0 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 155.0 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 101.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 96.1 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MA → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
57 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Springfield, MA is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Springfield, MA to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MA | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Springfield → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $72,737 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $88,005 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $105,481 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $125,431 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $148,222 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MA | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $79,640 | $76,673 (−3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,740 | $131,290 | $126,399 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,010 | $93,010 | $89,545 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,410 | $101,690 | $97,902 (−0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.