City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 1.3% higher than in Hartford, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Hartford, CT would need about $101,300 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,145 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Hartford, CT to Modesto, CA ($120,094 → $133,060), while prices change by +1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.3% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,326 in Modesto | $98,692 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Modesto, CA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,145/yr.
65 Fair offer
Modesto, CA → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,145/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Modesto, CA | Real change, Hartford → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $77,161 | +9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $93,358 | +9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $111,896 | +9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $133,060 | +9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $157,236 | +9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $101,640 | $100,310 (+25.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $119,770 | $118,203 (−10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $83,560 | $82,467 (−14.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $132,590 | $130,855 (+29.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.