City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 13.2% higher than in Baton Rouge, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA would need about $113,200 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT versus $1,064 in Baton Rouge, LA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 17% in Baton Rouge, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,311 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Baton Rouge, LA to Hartford, CT ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +13.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.3% in real buying power.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,181 in Hartford | $88,354 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,311/yr.
38 Weak offer
Hartford, CT → Baton Rouge, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.2%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,311/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Baton Rouge, LA 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 Baton Rouge, LA to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Hartford, CT | Real change, Baton Rouge → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | −0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | −0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | −0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | −0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | −0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $79,800 | $70,506 (+18.9%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $132,520 | $117,086 (+14.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $95,940 | $84,767 (+16.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $101,470 | $89,653 (+10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.