City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 4.2% higher than in Harrisburg, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Harrisburg, PA would need about $104,200 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 $1,212 in Harrisburg, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 19% in Harrisburg, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.6% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Hartford, CT ($108,592 → $120,094), while prices change by +4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (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
| Harrisburg, PA | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,152 in Hartford | $96,013 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
56 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Hartford, CT | Real change, Harrisburg → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $69,642 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $84,260 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $100,992 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $120,094 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $141,915 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $79,800 | $76,619 (−0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $132,520 | $127,237 (+16.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $95,940 | $92,115 (+20.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $101,470 | $97,425 (+0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.