City comparison
Waterbury, CT vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waterbury, CT are 3.9% higher than in York, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in York, PA would need about $103,900 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 $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Waterbury, CT and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Waterbury, CT than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.9% moving from Waterbury, CT to York, PA ($125,431 → $121,785), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (about average)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Waterbury, CT | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.8 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,214 in York | $103,935 in Waterbury |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,445/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,440 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Waterbury-Shelton, CT and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Waterbury | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.1 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 147.6 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 99.8 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Waterbury, CT → York, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
81 Strong offer
York, PA → Waterbury, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Waterbury, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Waterbury, CT to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Waterbury, CT | York, PA | Real change, Waterbury → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $70,623 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $85,447 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $102,415 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $121,785 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $143,913 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Waterbury, CT | York, PA | York pay in Waterbury dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $79,730 | $82,868 (+4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $131,290 | $114,600 | $119,110 (−9.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $93,010 | $75,160 | $78,118 (−16.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,690 | $96,210 | $99,996 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.