City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 10.6% higher than in Lexington, KY. Someone earning $100,000 in Lexington, KY would need about $110,600 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 $1,079 in Lexington, KY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 17% in Lexington, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $543 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Lexington, KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Lexington, KY ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.0% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,406 in Lexington | $110,612 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Lexington, KY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$543/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lexington, KY → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$543/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Lexington, KY | Real change, Hartford → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $61,460 | $67,982 (−14.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $123,510 | $136,616 (+3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $77,780 | $86,034 (−10.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $79,040 | $87,427 (−13.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.