Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Stamford, CT
VS
Waterbury, CT
🏆 Stamford leads 18 of 23 categories
Stamford
Connecticut
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
106.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$100,718 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
41 ✓ Safer
Population
135,413 ✓ Larger
Waterbury
Connecticut
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,451
Violent Crime Index
85
Population
114,480
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Stamford, CT
Pros
Households earn $49,267 more per year on average
51% less violent crime than Waterbury
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.3 pts lower (5.5%)
More college-educated — 50.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (157.5 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $584,700
Higher rents — median is $2,129/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Waterbury
Waterbury, CT
Pros
Homes cost $422k less ($162,800 vs $584,700)
Rent averages $989/mo less ($1,140 vs $2,129)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Stamford
Cons
Median income trails Stamford by $49,267/yr
Property crime (2918.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.8% vs 5.5%)
Snowy winters — about 47" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Stamford
Median Income
$49,267
$100,718 vs $51,451/yr
Stamford
Violent Crime
51% lower
157.5 vs 322.5 per 100k
Stamford
Unemployment
4.3 pp lower
5.5% vs 9.8% unemployment
Waterbury
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 95.1 vs 106.5 (100 = US avg)
Waterbury
Median Home Value
$422k less
$162,800 vs $584,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Stamford, CT | Waterbury, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 106.5⚠ High | 95.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $584,700⚠ High | $162,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,129⚠ High | $1,140 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $100,718 ✓ Higher | $51,451 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.8 min⚠ High | 27.6 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 14.1% ✓ Higher | 6.1% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 107⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 41 ✓ Safer | 85 |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (120) ✓ Better | B- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller | 12.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.4% ✓ Higher | 16.7% |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% ✓ Higher | 81.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Stamford School District | Waterbury School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.0°F ✓ Warmer | 37.0°F |
| Avg High — July | 84.8°F ✓ Warmer | 84.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.9" ✓ Drier | 52.6" |
| Annual Snowfall | 34.0" ✓ Less | 46.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 135,413 ✓ Larger | 114,480 |
| Median Age | 37.6 ✓ Older | 36.7 |
| Homeownership Rate | 46.0% ✓ Higher | 43.8% |
| Under 18 | 19.2% | 22.7% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.3% ✓ More | 13.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Stamford's cost of living index is 106.5 vs Waterbury's 95.1 (US average = 100).
Waterbury is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Stamford leads 18 of 23 categories. Stamford wins 18 and Waterbury wins 5. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Stamford to Waterbury or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($584,700 vs $162,800 median home), income ($100,718 vs $51,451), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Stamford, CT and Waterbury, CT are about 42 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.