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

Hartford, CT 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 2.9% less expensive than Hartford, CT (BEA, 2024).
  • To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Hartford works out to about $72,800 in Waterbury, before taxes.
  • Most of the difference is housing, which costs 19.2% less in Waterbury. Goods are 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher.
  • Zillow does not publish typical rent for Waterbury, so rents are not compared here.
  • The gap is about where it was in 2019 (1.6%).

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.

Housing drives the gap: 19.2% lower in Waterbury than in Hartford

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

  • Hartford, CT
  • Waterbury, CT
All items
102.7 99.8
Goods
97.3 97.3
Housing (rents)
110.2 89.1
Utilities
144.9 147.6
Other services
102.7 102.7

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

Show the numbers
Hartford, CTWaterbury, CT
All items102.799.8
Goods97.397.3
Housing (rents)110.289.1
Utilities144.9147.6
Other services102.7102.7
CategoryHartfordWaterburyWaterbury vs Hartford
All items 102.7 99.8 −2.9%
Goods 97.3 97.3 0.0%
Housing (rents) 110.2 89.1 −19.2%
Utilities 144.9 147.6 +1.9%
Other services 102.7 102.7 0.0%
Salary to match $75,000 in Hartford $75,000 $72,800 −2.9%

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 Hartford and Waterbury has narrowed since 2008: 6.1 points then, 3.0 now

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

  • Hartford, CT
  • Waterbury, CT
US average = 100

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

Show the numbers
Hartford, CTWaterbury, CT
2008104.8110.8
2009104.7111.0
2010103.0105.9
2011102.4108.4
2012102.8106.9
2013102.1107.9
2014100.7105.8
2015103.3106.1
2016102.9106.5
2017103.6106.4
2018102.5102.1
2019102.9101.3
2020104.0103.4
2021102.199.6
2022105.1102.5
2023103.3101.0
2024102.799.8

Goods

  • Hartford, CT
  • Waterbury, CT
US = 100

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

Show the numbers
Hartford, CTWaterbury, CT
2008101.3113.4
2009101.3111.5
201098.2105.8
201198.1106.2
201297.4107.3
201397.3107.0
201497.2105.5
201598.9104.8
201698.4105.6
201799.3106.7
2018101.4101.4
201998.798.7
202099.099.0
202197.097.0
2022101.1101.1
202398.698.6
202497.397.3

Housing (rents)

  • Hartford, CT
  • Waterbury, CT
US = 100

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

Show the numbers
Hartford, CTWaterbury, CT
2008121.0118.2
2009120.9125.1
2010122.8108.5
2011119.2118.3
2012125.2112.9
2013113.3117.5
2014114.1104.1
2015120.1110.7
2016114.1107.8
2017112.8104.6
2018110.4105.7
2019109.897.7
2020114.3109.2
2021114.095.1
2022110.191.4
2023109.792.3
2024110.289.1

Utilities

  • Hartford, CT
  • Waterbury, CT
US = 100

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

Show the numbers
Hartford, CTWaterbury, CT
2008151.3156.0
2009154.6159.4
2010144.3147.6
2011136.4138.8
2012131.0136.3
2013129.6136.2
2014133.3137.1
2015134.8141.7
2016137.0145.3
2017139.4147.1
2018139.6141.3
2019142.6144.0
2020159.5160.3
2021146.0146.7
2022139.9139.2
2023152.0154.3
2024144.9147.6

Other services

  • Hartford, CT
  • Waterbury, CT
US = 100

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

Show the numbers
Hartford, CTWaterbury, CT
2008101.3105.8
2009101.0105.3
201099.6103.6
201199.7105.9
201299.6104.0
2013101.3104.6
201498.5105.2
2015100.9104.5
2016101.7105.3
2017102.8105.5
2018100.2100.2
2019102.3102.3
2020102.4102.4
2021100.8100.8
2022104.9104.9
2023103.0103.0
2024102.7102.7

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.