City comparison
Urban Honolulu, HI vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Urban Honolulu, HI are 11.2% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $111,200 in Urban Honolulu, HI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,016 a month in Urban Honolulu, HI versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Urban Honolulu, HI and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,145 a year higher in Urban Honolulu, HI than in Waterbury, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Urban Honolulu, HI to Waterbury, CT ($111,119 → $125,431), while prices change by −10.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +25.5% in real buying power.
- Urban Honolulu, HI: price level 111.0 (much pricier)
- 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
| Urban Honolulu, HI | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 111.0 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,922 in Waterbury | $111,208 in Urban Honolulu |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,016/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,110 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $6,070 (HI) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,220 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Hawaii | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Urban Honolulu, HI MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Urban Honolulu, HI and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Urban Honolulu | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.5 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 111.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 187.3 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 102.9 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 111.0 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Urban Honolulu, HI → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$2,145/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Urban Honolulu, HI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.1%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,145/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Urban Honolulu, HI is in the State of Hawaii pay area; Waterbury, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Urban Honolulu, HI to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Urban Honolulu → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,438 | $72,737 | +25.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,964 | $88,005 | +25.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,445 | $105,481 | +25.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,119 | $125,431 | +25.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,310 | $148,222 | +25.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Urban Honolulu, HI | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Urban Honolulu dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,080 | $79,640 | $88,566 (+21.2%) |
| Software Developers | $120,230 | $131,290 | $146,005 (+21.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,990 | $93,010 | $103,434 (+37.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $139,260 | $101,690 | $113,087 (−18.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.