City comparison
Syracuse, NY vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 4.2% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $104,200 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 $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $935 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Syracuse, NY to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.1% in real buying power.
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (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
| Syracuse, NY | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,215 in Waterbury | $95,955 in Syracuse |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,123/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,990 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Syracuse, NY MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Syracuse, NY and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Syracuse | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 80.7 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 133.4 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Syracuse, NY → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$935/yr.
56 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$935/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Syracuse, NY 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 Syracuse, NY to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Syracuse, NY | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Syracuse → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +13.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +13.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +13.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +13.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +13.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Syracuse, NY | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Syracuse dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $79,640 | $76,419 (−2.7%) |
| Software Developers | $129,100 | $131,290 | $125,979 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,230 | $93,010 | $89,248 (+8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,960 | $101,690 | $97,577 (+12.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.