Waterbury-Shelton cost of living
Prices in the Waterbury-Shelton, CT metro area run at 99.8 against a national average of 100, ranking it #93 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 89.1.
What drives the number
Waterbury-Shelton sits at 99.8, which is as close to the national average as this series gets. It ranks #93 of 387 metro areas, in the middle by construction rather than by coincidence. Against Connecticut as a whole it is 3.8 points less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 89.1 against goods at 97.3 and other services at 147.6, so the overall figure of 99.8 understates how affordable the housing itself is. It is the opposite of the usual pattern, where housing is what makes a place expensive.
The number is most useful in reverse: a job here can pay less in cash and still leave a household better off, by roughly 0.2 per cent before anything else is considered.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Waterbury-Shelton is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 5,330 | $37,670 | $37,745 | $34,900 |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,110 | $120,000 | $120,240 | $102,950 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 3,760 | $33,300 | $33,367 | $30,480 |
| Cashiers | 3,480 | $33,650 | $33,717 | $31,190 |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 3,400 | $39,480 | $39,559 | $35,930 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,350 | $38,400 | $38,477 | $37,090 |
| Retail Salespersons | 3,300 | $34,690 | $34,760 | $34,580 |
| Registered Nurses | 3,100 | $100,310 | $100,511 | $93,600 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 99.8.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven | 104.6 | 124.3 | #32 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford | 102.7 | 110.2 | #49 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic | 100.4 | 93.7 | #79 |
Waterbury-Shelton: common questions
Is Waterbury-Shelton expensive?
Prices are 0.2% below the national average, a parity of 99.8 where the country is 100. It ranks #93 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Connecticut as a whole it is 3.8 points less expensive.
What salary do you need in Waterbury-Shelton?
The median worker there earns $50,110, which buys what $50,210 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 89.1 against goods at 97.3. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.