City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 17.8% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $117,800 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 $898 in Lafayette, LA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 14% in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,311 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Lafayette, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Lafayette, LA ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,878 in Lafayette | $117,816 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,311/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,311/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Lafayette, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Hartford → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $47,770 | $56,281 (−29.5%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $109,010 | $128,431 (−3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $67,630 | $79,679 (−16.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $81,960 | $96,562 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.