City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hartford, CT (102.7) and Philadelphia, PA (102.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hartford, CT goes as far as $99,800 in Philadelphia, PA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT and $1,520 in Philadelphia, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.3% moving from Hartford, CT to Philadelphia, PA ($120,094 → $117,284), while prices change by −0.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.2% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,813 in Philadelphia | $100,187 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Philadelphia, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
69 Fair offer
Philadelphia, PA → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Hartford → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $68,013 | −2.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $82,289 | −2.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $98,630 | −2.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $117,284 | −2.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $138,595 | −2.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $78,570 | $78,717 (−1.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $133,040 | $133,289 (+0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $85,990 | $86,151 (−10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $101,180 | $101,369 (−0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.