City comparison
Tulsa, OK vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 11.8% higher than in Tulsa, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Tulsa, OK would need about $111,800 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 $987 in Tulsa, OK. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 16% in Tulsa, OK.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,955 a year in OK and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Tulsa, OK to Waterbury, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +11.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (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
| Tulsa, OK | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,841 in Waterbury | $89,412 in Tulsa |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $987/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Tulsa, OK and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Tulsa | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.2 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 73.9 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 89.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Tulsa, OK → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$30/yr.
38 Weak offer
Waterbury, CT → Tulsa, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$30/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Tulsa, OK 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 Tulsa, OK to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Tulsa, OK | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Tulsa → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Tulsa, OK | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Tulsa dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,220 | $79,640 | $71,208 (+47.7%) |
| Software Developers | $108,730 | $131,290 | $117,390 (+8.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,320 | $93,010 | $83,163 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,790 | $101,690 | $90,924 (+7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.