City comparison
Fort Collins, 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 1.6% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $101,600 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, 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 +1.2% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Hartford, CT ($118,675 → $120,094), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.4% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (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
| Fort Collins, CO | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,600 in Hartford | $98,425 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/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 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$233/yr.
64 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Fort Collins, CO
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$233/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Hartford, CT | Real change, Fort Collins → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,642 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,260 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $100,992 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,094 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $141,915 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $79,800 | $78,543 (+24.8%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $132,520 | $130,433 (−2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $95,940 | $94,429 (+5.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $101,470 | $99,872 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.