City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cape Coral, FL (102.3) and Hartford, CT (102.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cape Coral, FL goes as far as $100,400 in Hartford, CT.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Hartford, CT ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.4% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (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
| Cape Coral, FL | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,388 in Hartford | $99,614 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
68 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Cape Coral, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL 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 Cape Coral, FL to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Hartford, CT | Real change, Cape Coral → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +12.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +12.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +12.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +12.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +12.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $79,800 | $79,492 (+31.5%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $132,520 | $132,008 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $95,940 | $95,569 (+20.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $101,470 | $101,078 (+22.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.