City comparison
Bridgeport, CT is about 30 miles (40 km) from Waterbury, CT in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 30 miles, or about 34 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Bridgeport, CT to Waterbury, CT takes about 3 min, covering roughly 30 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Bridgeport has a population of 148,470, vs 114,480 in Waterbury — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Waterbury covers about 29 sq mi vs 16 sq mi for Bridgeport.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Bridgeport | Waterbury | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,369/mo | $1,140/mo | 20.1% higher in Bridgeport |
| Median home value | $227,200 | $162,800 | 39.6% higher in Bridgeport |
| Median household income | $54,440 | $51,451 | 5.8% higher in Bridgeport |
| Groceries index | 106.7 | 97.4 | 9.5% higher in Bridgeport |
| Utilities index | 128.3 | 148.4 | 15.7% higher in Waterbury |
| Transportation index | 104.3 | 101.0 | 3.2% higher in Bridgeport |
| Healthcare index | 105.1 | 101.8 | 3.2% higher in Bridgeport |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Bridgeport, you'd need $78,544 in Waterbury to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Waterbury, CT is about 21.5% cheaper overall than Bridgeport, CT, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 75% higher in Bridgeport than in Waterbury. If you earn $80,000 in Bridgeport, you'd need about $62,835 in Waterbury to keep the same standard of living.