City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 4.4% higher than in Boise City, ID. Someone earning $100,000 in Boise City, ID would need about $104,400 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT versus $1,381 in Boise City, ID. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 22% in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $267 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Boise City, ID to Hartford, CT ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (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
| Boise City, ID | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,426 in Hartford | $95,761 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$267/yr.
56 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Boise City, ID
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$267/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID 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 Boise City, ID to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Hartford, CT | Real change, Boise City → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $79,800 | $76,418 (+24.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $132,520 | $126,903 (−3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $95,940 | $91,873 (+19.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $101,470 | $97,169 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.