Waterbury, CT Relocation Guide (2026)
Cost of living, housing, and income data for Waterbury, sourced from the US Census Bureau.
Salary needed to live in Waterbury →
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022). Last updated July 2026.
Waterbury's population is about 114,480. On income, the typical household clears $51,451 a year, running below the median household income across the cities we cover (-29%).
Expect a median home value of $162,800 in Waterbury, which runs below what we see across other cities (-50%). Median rent lands at $1,140/month — a useful baseline before comparing mortgage payments to rent.
Buying a typical home in Waterbury would take about 3.2 years of median household income, a comparatively affordable multiple by our tracked standards.
Personal Affordability Check
Renting at $1,140/mo in Waterbury would take 26.6% of your income.
$146/mo under the 30% guideline.
Buying the median home ($162,800) would take 20.3% of your income toward principal & interest.
$331/mo under the 28% guideline.
Cost of housing in Waterbury
Median home value is $162,800 and median gross rent is $1,140/month. For buyers, monthly costs depend heavily on current mortgage rates — worth checking before you commit.
Safety
Waterbury reported a violent crime rate of 294.6 per 100,000 residents in 2025, per FBI data.
Moving to Waterbury
Planning a move to Waterbury? Compare licensed movers and get quotes based on your origin and move date.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Waterbury, CT?
- Housing drives most of the cost-of-living picture in Waterbury — median home value of $162,800, median rent of $1,140/month — set against a median household income of $51,451 (US Census Bureau ACS 5-Year (2022)).
- How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Waterbury?
- A common guideline is that rent should stay under 30% of gross income. With median rent at $1,140/month in Waterbury, that implies an income of about $45,600 to keep housing affordable. See the full salary breakdown (renting and buying) for Waterbury.
- Is it better to rent or buy in Waterbury?
- Comparing the two in Waterbury: renting at the median $1,140/month needs about $45,600 in annual income (30% guideline), while buying the $162,800 median home needs roughly $37,248 a year in principal-and-interest, assuming 20% down and a 30-year fixed loan at current rates.
- Is Waterbury safe?
- The most recent FBI figures (2025) show a violent crime rate of 294.6 per 100,000 residents in Waterbury.
See the full salary breakdown for Waterbury →
Cities with a similar cost of living
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