City comparison
Albany, NY vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 3.2% higher than in Albany, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Albany, NY would need about $103,200 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,417 a month in Albany, NY and $1,477 in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $935 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.4% moving from Albany, NY to Hartford, CT ($109,810 → $120,094), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.0% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,194 in Hartford | $96,905 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$935/yr.
59 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Albany, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$935/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Hartford, CT | Real change, Albany → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $69,642 | +6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $84,260 | +6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $100,992 | +6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $120,094 | +6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $141,915 | +6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $79,800 | $77,330 (−2.4%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $132,520 | $128,418 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $95,940 | $92,971 (+9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $101,470 | $98,329 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.