City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 2.6% higher than in Hartford, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Hartford, CT would need about $102,600 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,995 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.5% moving from Hartford, CT to Portland, OR ($120,094 → $114,684), while prices change by +2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.9% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,604 in Portland | $97,463 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,995/yr.
56 Fair offer
Portland, OR → Hartford, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,995/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Portland, OR | Real change, Hartford → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $66,505 | −6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $80,465 | −6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $96,443 | −6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $114,684 | −6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $135,522 | −6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $82,330 | $80,241 (+0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $156,000 | $152,042 (+14.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $92,200 | $89,860 (−6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $130,310 | $127,003 (+25.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.