City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 3.8% higher than in Hartford, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Hartford, CT would need about $103,800 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,145 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.8% moving from Hartford, CT to Sacramento, CA ($120,094 → $117,984), while prices change by +3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,819 in Sacramento | $96,321 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,832/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% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,145/yr.
50 Fair offer
Sacramento, CA → Hartford, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,145/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Hartford → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $68,419 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $82,780 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $99,218 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $117,984 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $139,422 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $103,390 | $99,587 (+24.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $139,640 | $134,503 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $92,110 | $88,722 (−7.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $171,460 | $165,153 (+62.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.