City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hartford, CT (102.7) and Olympia, WA (103.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hartford, CT goes as far as $100,900 in Olympia, WA.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Olympia, WA ($120,094 → $119,630), while prices change by +0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.3% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,899 in Olympia | $99,109 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Olympia, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
65 Fair offer
Olympia, WA → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Olympia, WA | Real change, Hartford → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $69,373 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $83,935 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $100,602 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $119,630 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $141,367 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $104,650 | $103,717 (+30.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $124,060 | $122,954 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $94,470 | $93,628 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $125,020 | $123,906 (+22.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.