City comparison
Baltimore, MD vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 1.7% higher than in Hartford, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Hartford, CT would need about $101,700 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD and $1,477 in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $461 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.4% moving from Baltimore, MD to Hartford, CT ($121,785 → $120,094), while prices change by −1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.3% in real buying power.
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
- 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
| Baltimore, MD | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.5 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,334 in Hartford | $101,694 in Baltimore |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,511/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,794 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,386 (MD) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,070 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baltimore | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 118.2 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 102.4 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 110.2 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 101.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 104.5 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baltimore, MD → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$461/yr.
74 Strong offer
Hartford, CT → Baltimore, MD
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$461/yr.
64 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Baltimore, MD is in the Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Baltimore, MD to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baltimore, MD | Hartford, CT | Real change, Baltimore → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $70,623 | $69,642 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $85,447 | $84,260 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $102,415 | $100,992 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $121,785 | $120,094 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $143,913 | $141,915 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baltimore, MD | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Baltimore dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $138,170 | $131,410 | $133,637 (−3.3%) |
| Software Developers | $138,900 | $132,520 | $134,766 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,160 | $95,940 | $97,566 (+14.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,550 | $101,470 | $103,189 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.