City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 2.4% higher than in Detroit, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Detroit, MI would need about $102,400 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 $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Hartford, CT ($117,402 → $120,094), while prices change by +2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.1% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (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
| Detroit, MI | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,441 in Hartford | $97,617 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$74/yr.
61 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Detroit, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$74/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Hartford, CT | Real change, Detroit → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $69,642 | −0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $84,260 | −0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $100,992 | −0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $120,094 | −0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $141,915 | −0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $79,800 | $77,899 (+19.5%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $132,520 | $129,363 (−1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $95,940 | $93,654 (+16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $101,470 | $99,052 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.