Pittsburgh vs Waterbury
The short version
- Pittsburgh is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 5% lower than in the Waterbury area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $205,800 in Pittsburgh and $208,500 in Waterbury.
- Households earn more in Pittsburgh ($65,742 vs $51,886 median).
- Commutes are shorter in Pittsburgh (23 vs 28 minutes each way).
Side by side
| Pittsburgh, PA | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 307,632 | 115,771 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.5% | +1.2% |
| People per square mile | 5,556 | 4,054 |
| Median age | 33.6 | 37.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49% | 17% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $65,742 | $51,886 |
| Median home value | $205,800 | $208,500 |
| Home value to income | 3.1× | 4.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,261 | $1,225 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 94.7 | 99.8 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 72.0 | 89.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $71,000 | $74,800 |
| Homeowners | 48% | 47% |
| Top state income tax | 3.07% | 6.99% |
| Combined sales tax | 6.34% | 6.35% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 22.7 | 28.0 |
| Work from home | 22% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 12% | 4% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.1% | 9.3% |
| Poverty rate | 20.1% | 24.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 36° / 21° | 37° / 19° |
| July high / low | 83° / 63° | 84° / 63° |
| Precipitation per year | 40 in | 45 in |
| Snowfall per year | 44 in | 39 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 10 | 15 |
| Nights below freezing | 114 | 129 |
| Comfortable months | 6 | 5 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | n/a |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 98.1 | n/a |
| Good air days, 2025 | 43% | n/a |
| Home prices, past year | +3.4% | +3.9% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +36.7% | +55.2% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Pittsburgh: May to October. Waterbury: May to September.
Full monthly tables: Pittsburgh weather by month and Waterbury weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $71,000 in Pittsburgh and $74,800 in Waterbury. Moving from Pittsburgh to Waterbury, you would need about $79,000 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.