Cost of living in Waterbury research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Waterbury is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Connecticut, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Waterbury is 99, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Waterbury is 1.0x lower than the national average.
Waterbury ranks as the #1 cheapest in Connecticut out of 56.
Waterbury ranks as the #2,497 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Waterbury is $273,375.
The median income in Waterbury is $51,642.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Waterbury has an overall cost of living index of 99, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.
Compared to Connecticut, Waterbury has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than Connecticut's index of 119.
The standard of living in Waterbury ranks as #1 most affordable out of the 56 places we measured in Connecticut. By definition, that implies Waterbury ranks as the #55 most expensive place in the Constitution State.
For more reading on life in Waterbury, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Waterbury. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Waterbury is 108.
The Groceries index in Waterbury is 97.
The Health index in Waterbury is 114.
The Housing index in Waterbury is 82.
The Transportation index in Waterbury is 104.
The Utilities index in Waterbury is 131.
| Living Expense | Waterbury | Connecticut | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 99 | 119 | 100 | |
| Services | 108 | 109 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 97 | 100 | 100 | |
| Health | 114 | 110 | 100 | |
| Housing | 82 | 137 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 104 | 101 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 131 | 131 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Connecticut, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Waterbury is $273,375.
The Median Rent in Waterbury is $1,180.
The Median Income in Waterbury is $51,642.
The Home Value To Income in Waterbury is 5.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Waterbury is 0.27x.
| Statistic | Waterbury | Connecticut | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $273,375 | $430,086 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,180 | $1,431 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $51,642 | $93,760 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 5.3x | 4.6x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.27x | 0.18x | 0.21x |
| Item | Waterbury | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.47 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $15.07 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $24.0 | $18 |
| Haircut | $39.78 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $69.0 | $45.56 |
| Item | Waterbury | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $6.28 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.59 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.83 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.03 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $13.21 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.53 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.86 | $3.7 |
| Item | Waterbury | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $134.7 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $162.26 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $136.03 | $113.29 |
| Item | Waterbury | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.47 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $63.33 | $59.92 |
| Item | Waterbury | Connecticut |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $296.64 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $185.16 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Waterbury. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Bristol, CT has a cost of living index of 106, 1.1x Waterbury.
Naugatuck, CT has a cost of living index of 108, 1.1x Waterbury.
Newington, CT has a cost of living index of 114, 1.2x Waterbury.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol, CT | 61,129 | 106 | 1.1x |
| Naugatuck, CT | 31,634 | 108 | 1.1x |
| Newington, CT | 30,551 | 114 | 1.2x |
| North Haven, CT | 24,177 | 124 | 1.3x |
| Orange, CT | 14,251 | 136 | 1.4x |
| Kensington, CT | 9,936 | 119 | 1.2x |
| Oakville, CT | 9,233 | 113 | 1.1x |
| Terryville, CT | 5,112 | 105 | 1.1x |