City comparison
Colorado Springs, CO vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 2.0% higher than in Colorado Springs, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Colorado Springs, CO would need about $102,000 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,464 a month in Colorado Springs, CO and $1,477 in Hartford, CT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.9% moving from Colorado Springs, CO to Hartford, CT ($109,246 → $120,094), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.7% in real buying power.
- Colorado Springs, CO: price level 100.7 (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
| Colorado Springs, CO | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.7 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,025 in Hartford | $98,015 in Colorado Springs |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,464/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,710 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Colorado Springs, CO | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Colorado Springs, CO HUD Metro FMR Area and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Colorado Springs, CO and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Colorado Springs | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.2 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 83.2 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 100.7 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Colorado Springs, CO → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$233/yr.
63 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Colorado Springs, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$233/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Colorado Springs, CO is in the Colorado Springs, CO pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Colorado Springs, CO to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Colorado Springs, CO | Hartford, CT | Real change, Colorado Springs → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,351 | $69,642 | +7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,650 | $84,260 | +7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,870 | $100,992 | +7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,246 | $120,094 | +7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,096 | $141,915 | +7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Colorado Springs, CO | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Colorado Springs dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,140 | $79,800 | $78,216 (+27.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,280 | $132,520 | $129,890 (−3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,000 | $95,940 | $94,036 (+10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,140 | $101,470 | $99,456 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.