Places › Connecticut › Waterbury

Living in Waterbury, CT

Suburb in Connecticut

Waterbury is a suburb in Connecticut, home to about 114,000 people, with 1.6 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, much of daily life is walkable. Life moves at a fast pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Waterbury a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 7 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Mild summers: highs around 82°F
  • Easy flying: BDL is 32 mi away
  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $308k and rents for $2,210 a month

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $3,118 state income tax per resident, 2.9% property tax
  • Fewer graduates: 17% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Cloudier than most places
  • Few dog parks: 4 within 9 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Waterbury ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
114,000
1.6 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
39°F / 82°F
Average daily highs · 47″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$308k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,210/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
100
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,118
State income tax per resident · 2.9% property tax
Safety
0.8× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
12 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, hurricanes
Top-rated hospitals
7
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
17%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
BDL
32 mi away

Living in Waterbury: common questions

What is the cost of living in Waterbury?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $308k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,210 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 100, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Waterbury?

Connecticut collects about $3,118 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.9% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Waterbury safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.8× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Waterbury?

Waterbury has cold winters: winter days average around 39°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 47″ of snow a year.

Does Waterbury get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 12 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.15 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Waterbury?

The nearest major airport is BDL, about 32 mi away.

How Waterbury scores

Each bar compares Waterbury with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Big city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly walkable Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Average cost Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Fast-paced Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Good
💸Low taxes Poor
💼Job market Average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Average
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Good
🎭Culture Average
🛡️Safety Safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Poor
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Waterbury right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.