USA Cost of Living Compare US cities and states with official data

Barnstable, MA vs Waterbury, CT: cost of living compared

Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).

The short answer

  • Overall, Waterbury, CT is 1.5% more expensive than Barnstable, MA (BEA, 2024).
  • To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Barnstable works out to about $76,100 in Waterbury, before taxes.
  • Most of the difference is everyday costs rather than housing: goods are 0.3% higher and other services 1.4% higher in Waterbury, while housing is 1.0% lower.
  • Zillow does not publish typical rent for Waterbury, so rents are not compared here.
  • The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Waterbury was 3.8% less expensive than Barnstable.

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.

Try your own salary

18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.

Everyday costs, not housing, drive the gap between Barnstable and Waterbury

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

  • Barnstable, MA
  • Waterbury, CT
All items
98.4 99.8
Goods
97.0 97.3
Housing (rents)
90.0 89.1
Utilities
158.5 147.6
Other services
101.2 102.7

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Barnstable, MAWaterbury, CT
All items98.499.8
Goods97.097.3
Housing (rents)90.089.1
Utilities158.5147.6
Other services101.2102.7
CategoryBarnstableWaterburyWaterbury vs Barnstable
All items 98.4 99.8 +1.5%
Goods 97.0 97.3 +0.3%
Housing (rents) 90.0 89.1 −1.0%
Utilities 158.5 147.6 −6.9%
Other services 101.2 102.7 +1.4%
Salary to match $75,000 in Barnstable $75,000 $76,100 +1.5%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Barnstable and Waterbury has narrowed since 2008: 8.0 points then, 1.4 now

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

  • Barnstable, MA
  • Waterbury, CT
US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Barnstable, MAWaterbury, CT
2008102.8110.8
2009102.7111.0
2010105.2105.9
201199.4108.4
2012100.9106.9
2013100.0107.9
2014104.5105.8
2015105.7106.1
2016105.8106.5
2017105.8106.4
2018101.1102.1
2019105.2101.3
2020101.3103.4
2021101.499.6
2022108.8102.5
2023106.5101.0
202498.499.8

Goods

  • Barnstable, MA
  • Waterbury, CT
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Barnstable, MAWaterbury, CT
200899.8113.4
2009101.1111.5
201098.0105.8
201197.9106.2
201297.4107.3
201397.3107.0
201497.6105.5
201598.8104.8
201698.3105.6
201799.5106.7
2018100.8101.4
201997.998.7
202098.899.0
202196.997.0
2022100.8101.1
202398.898.6
202497.097.3

Housing (rents)

  • Barnstable, MA
  • Waterbury, CT
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Barnstable, MAWaterbury, CT
2008106.8118.2
2009104.9125.1
2010127.3108.5
201199.3118.3
2012107.0112.9
201397.6117.5
2014126.8104.1
2015126.0110.7
2016123.3107.8
2017119.3104.6
2018101.7105.7
2019124.997.7
2020100.4109.2
2021107.995.1
2022125.291.4
2023124.292.3
202490.089.1

Utilities

  • Barnstable, MA
  • Waterbury, CT
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Barnstable, MAWaterbury, CT
2008139.4156.0
2009137.1159.4
2010122.5147.6
2011121.5138.8
2012119.4136.3
2013123.6136.2
2014127.9137.1
2015133.8141.7
2016132.8145.3
2017137.0147.1
2018147.6141.3
2019144.7144.0
2020155.0160.3
2021148.9146.7
2022149.1139.2
2023158.7154.3
2024158.5147.6

Other services

  • Barnstable, MA
  • Waterbury, CT
US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers
Barnstable, MAWaterbury, CT
2008101.3105.8
2009101.4105.3
201099.8103.6
201199.4105.9
201299.8104.0
2013101.9104.6
201498.7105.2
2015101.4104.5
2016102.1105.3
2017102.9105.5
201899.5100.2
2019100.9102.3
2020101.6102.4
202199.9100.8
2022105.6104.9
2023102.1103.0
2024101.2102.7

More about each city

What this comparison leaves out

  • Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
  • Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
  • Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
  • Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.