City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 6.5% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $106,500 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC and $1,477 in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Asheville, NC to Hartford, CT ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +6.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.0% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Asheville, NC | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,466 in Hartford | $93,927 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
50 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Hartford, CT | Real change, Asheville → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $79,800 | $74,954 (+49.7%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $132,520 | $124,472 (−7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $95,940 | $90,113 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $101,470 | $95,307 (+16.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.