City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 4.9% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $104,900 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 $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,763 a year in MO and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.9% moving from St. Louis, MO to Waterbury, CT ($109,137 → $125,431), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.5% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (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
| St. Louis, MO | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,932 in Waterbury | $95,300 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$162/yr.
54 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$162/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Waterbury, CT | Real change, St. Louis → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $72,737 | +9.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $88,005 | +9.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $105,481 | +9.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $125,431 | +9.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $148,222 | +9.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $79,640 | $75,897 (+25.1%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $131,290 | $125,119 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $93,010 | $88,638 (+12.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $101,690 | $96,910 (+16.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.