City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 4.7% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $104,700 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Raleigh, NC ($120,094 → $111,147), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.1% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,534 in Raleigh | $104,675 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
83 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Hartford → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $64,453 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $77,983 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $93,468 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $111,147 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $131,342 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $60,170 | $62,983 (−21.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $132,770 | $138,977 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $81,950 | $85,781 (−10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $84,830 | $88,796 (−12.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.