City comparison
Tucson, AZ vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 3.0% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $103,000 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 $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,634 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.7% moving from Tucson, AZ to Waterbury, CT ($108,455 → $125,431), while prices change by +3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.3% in real buying power.
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (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
| Tucson, AZ | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,974 in Waterbury | $97,112 in Tucson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,081/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,760 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Tucson-Nogales, AZ | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Tucson, AZ MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Tucson, AZ and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tucson | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 91.8 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tucson, AZ → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,634/yr.
60 Fair offer
Waterbury, CT → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,634/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tucson, AZ is in the Tucson-Nogales, AZ pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Tucson, AZ to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tucson, AZ | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Tucson → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,893 | $72,737 | +12.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,095 | $88,005 | +12.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,205 | $105,481 | +12.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,455 | $125,431 | +12.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,162 | $148,222 | +12.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tucson, AZ | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Tucson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $47,220 | $79,640 | $77,340 (+63.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,710 | $131,290 | $127,498 (+3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,320 | $93,010 | $90,323 (+18.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $94,110 | $101,690 | $98,753 (+4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.