Waterbury, CT

Below Avg · 76

Connecticut · Population 114,356 · Updated March 2026

$1,180
Median Rent / Month
$51,642
Median Income
$185,400
Median Home Value
$1,273
Owner Costs / Month

Affordability

How far your income goes in Waterbury

27.4%
Rent-to-Income Ratio
Moderate
Rent takes 25-35% of median income — moderate affordability.

Tax Burden in Connecticut

State-level tax rates that affect your costs

6.99%
Income Tax (Top Rate)
6.35%
State Sales Tax
2.15%
Property Tax Rate

Estimated Annual Costs

$14,160
Annual Rent
$3,610
State Income Taxtop marginal rate
$3,986
Property Tax (est.)

Cost of Living Overview

Waterbury is significantly cheaper than the national average, making it an attractive option for budget-conscious individuals and families. With a cost index of 76 (where 100 equals the national median), Waterbury residents can expect to pay median rent of $1,180/month while earning a median household income of $51,642/year.

The median home value in Waterbury, CT is $185,400, with typical monthly owner costs around $1,273 including mortgage, insurance, and taxes. With a rent-to-income ratio of 27.4%, Waterbury falls within the generally affordable range, though it's approaching the 30% burden threshold.

Connecticut has a moderate income tax rate of 6.99%. Combined with a 6.35% sales tax rate and 2.15% effective property tax rate, the overall tax environment is a factor in the total cost of living in Waterbury.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about living costs in Waterbury

What is the cost of living in Waterbury, CT?
The cost of living index in Waterbury, CT is 76 (US average = 100). Median monthly rent is $1,180, median household income is $51,642/year, and the median home value is $185,400.
Is Waterbury, CT affordable?
Yes, Waterbury is more affordable than the national average with a cost index of 76. The rent-to-income ratio is 27.4%—below the 30% threshold considered affordable by HUD.
What is the average rent in Waterbury, CT?
The median gross rent in Waterbury, CT is $1,180 per month according to the US Census Bureau ACS 2023 data. Annual rent costs approximately $14,160.
What is the median household income in Waterbury?
The median household income in Waterbury, CT is $51,642 per year. This compares to the national median of approximately $80,000.
What are the taxes like in Connecticut?
Connecticut has a top income tax rate of 6.99%, a sales tax of 6.35%, and an effective property tax rate of 2.15%.

Compare Waterbury With

Similar-sized cities to compare

All Waterbury Comparisons

Compare the cost of living in Waterbury, CT with 299 other major U.S. cities

New York, NY Los Angeles, CA Chicago, IL Houston, TX Phoenix, AZ Philadelphia, PA San Antonio, TX San Diego, CA Dallas, TX San Jose, CA Austin, TX Jacksonville, FL Fort Worth, TX Columbus, OH Charlotte, NC Indianapolis, IN San Francisco, CA Seattle, WA Denver, CO Oklahoma City, OK Nashville, TN El Paso, TX Washington, DC Boston, MA Las Vegas, NV Portland, OR Detroit, MI Memphis, TN Louisville, KY Baltimore, MD Milwaukee, WI Albuquerque, NM Fresno, CA Tucson, AZ Sacramento, CA Kansas City, MO Mesa, AZ Atlanta, GA Omaha, NE Colorado Springs, CO Raleigh, NC Long Beach, CA Virginia Beach, VA Miami, FL Oakland, CA Minneapolis, MN Tulsa, OK Bakersfield, CA Wichita, KS Arlington, TX Tampa, FL Aurora, CO New Orleans, LA Cleveland, OH Honolulu, HI Anaheim, CA Henderson, NV Lexington, KY Stockton, CA Corpus Christi, TX Riverside, CA Orlando, FL Santa Ana, CA Cincinnati, OH Irvine, CA St. Paul, MN Newark, NJ Pittsburgh, PA Greensboro, NC St. Louis, MO Lincoln, NE Jersey City, NJ Anchorage, AK Durham, NC Plano, TX Chandler, AZ Buffalo, NY Madison, WI Chula Vista, CA Gilbert, AZ North Las Vegas, NV Reno, NV Toledo, OH Fort Wayne, IN Lubbock, TX St. Petersburg, FL Laredo, TX Irving, TX Chesapeake, VA Winston-Salem, NC Glendale, AZ Garland, TX Scottsdale, AZ Boise, ID Arlington, VA Norfolk, VA Enterprise, NV Spokane, WA Santa Clarita, CA Fremont, CA Richmond, VA Baton Rouge, LA Hialeah, FL San Bernardino, CA Tacoma, WA Port St. Lucie, FL Spring Valley, NV Huntsville, AL Modesto, CA Des Moines, IA Fontana, CA Moreno Valley, CA Frisco, TX Rochester, NY Fayetteville, NC Yonkers, NY Cape Coral, FL Worcester, MA Columbus, GA Salt Lake City, UT Little Rock, AR McKinney, TX Augusta, GA Oxnard, CA Amarillo, TX Tallahassee, FL Birmingham, AL Sunrise Manor, NV Grand Prairie, TX Montgomery, AL Grand Rapids, MI Sioux Falls, SD Overland Park, KS Huntington Beach, CA Peoria, AZ Knoxville, TN Vancouver, WA Glendale, CA Providence, RI Akron, OH Brownsville, TX Tempe, AZ Paradise, NV Mobile, AL Newport News, VA Shreveport, LA Fort Lauderdale, FL Chattanooga, TN Aurora, IL Ontario, CA Eugene, OR Elk Grove, CA Santa Rosa, CA Cary, NC Salem, OR Rancho Cucamonga, CA Oceanside, CA Clarksville, TN Garden Grove, CA Pembroke Pines, FL Lancaster, CA Fort Collins, CO Springfield, MO Palmdale, CA Salinas, CA Hayward, CA Corona, CA Paterson, NJ Murfreesboro, TN Alexandria, VA Macon, GA Lakewood, CO Killeen, TX Kansas City, KS Springfield, MA Sunnyvale, CA Hollywood, FL Roseville, CA Charleston, SC Bellevue, WA Escondido, CA Jackson, MS Joliet, IL Surprise, AZ Naperville, IL Pasadena, TX Mesquite, TX Pomona, CA Bridgeport, CT Rockford, IL Savannah, GA Denton, TX Syracuse, NY McAllen, TX Olathe, KS Gainesville, FL Torrance, CA Thornton, CO Visalia, CA Waco, TX Fullerton, CA Metairie, LA Orange, CA Warren, MI Columbia, SC West Valley City, UT Hampton, VA Cedar Rapids, IA Dayton, OH Pasadena, CA Miramar, FL Victorville, CA Elizabeth, NJ Stamford, CT Kent, WA Midland, TX Coral Springs, FL Sterling Heights, MI New Haven, CT Carrollton, TX Santa Clara, CA Fargo, ND Norman, OK Lewisville, TX Lehigh Acres, FL Columbia, MO Abilene, TX Athens, GA Topeka, KS Pearland, TX Simi Valley, CA Thousand Oaks, CA Allentown, PA Palm Bay, FL Meridian, ID Vallejo, CA Round Rock, TX Concord, CA Arvada, CO Clovis, CA College Station, TX Independence, MO Rochester, MN Lafayette, LA Ann Arbor, MI Berkeley, CA Fairfield, CA Hartford, CT West Palm Beach, FL Spring Hill, FL Wilmington, NC Billings, MT Richardson, TX Cambridge, MA North Charleston, SC Clearwater, FL Lakeland, FL The Woodlands, TX Evansville, IN Brandon, FL West Jordan, UT Broken Arrow, OK Antioch, CA Westminster, CO Manchester, NH Richmond, CA High Point, NC League City, TX Lowell, MA East Los Angeles, CA Carlsbad, CA Provo, UT Elgin, IL Odessa, TX Springfield, IL Beaumont, TX Gresham, OR Las Cruces, NM Lansing, MI Pompano Beach, FL Peoria, IL Downey, CA Murrieta, CA Pueblo, CO Miami Gardens, FL Everett, WA Costa Mesa, CA Temecula, CA Ventura, CA Santa Maria, CA Sugar Land, TX Greeley, CO South Fulton, GA Sparks, NV Dearborn, MI Riverview, FL Tyler, TX Tuscaloosa, AL Allen, TX