City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 3.9% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $103,900 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ and $1,477 in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $255 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.4% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Hartford, CT ($117,284 → $120,094), while prices change by +3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.5% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,934 in Hartford | $96,215 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$255/yr.
57 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$255/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Hartford, CT | Real change, Atlantic City → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $69,642 | −1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $84,260 | −1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $100,992 | −1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $120,094 | −1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $141,915 | −1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $79,800 | $76,780 (−4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $132,520 | $127,504 (+0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $95,940 | $92,309 (+11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $101,470 | $97,629 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.