City comparison
Toledo, OH vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 9.1% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $109,100 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,957 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Toledo, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Toledo, OH to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +9.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much 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
| Toledo, OH | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,101 in Waterbury | $91,658 in Toledo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $820/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,220 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Toledo, OH MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Toledo, OH and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Toledo | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.3 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 96.3 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Toledo, OH → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,957/yr.
43 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,957/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Toledo, OH 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 Toledo, OH to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Toledo, OH | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Toledo → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Toledo, OH | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Toledo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,250 | $79,640 | $72,997 (+15.4%) |
| Software Developers | $104,360 | $131,290 | $120,338 (+15.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,400 | $93,010 | $85,252 (+10.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,050 | $101,690 | $93,208 (+15.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.