City comparison
Grand Rapids, 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 7.5% higher than in Grand Rapids, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Grand Rapids, MI would need about $107,500 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 $1,278 in Grand Rapids, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 20% in Grand Rapids, 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 +12.8% moving from Grand Rapids, MI to Hartford, CT ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.9% in real buying power.
- Grand Rapids, MI: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Grand Rapids, MI | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,536 in Hartford | $92,992 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/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 | 20% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$74/yr.
47 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$74/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Grand Rapids, MI 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Hartford, CT | Real change, Grand Rapids → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $79,800 | $74,208 (+19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $132,520 | $123,234 (+14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $95,940 | $89,217 (+17.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $101,470 | $94,359 (+12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.