City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 7.0% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $107,000 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Hartford, CT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $120,094 in either. A transfer from Hartford, CT to Springfield, MA changes real buying power by +7.0%, purely from prices.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,494 in Springfield | $106,959 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
90 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
48 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Springfield, MA | Real change, Hartford → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $69,642 | +7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $84,260 | +7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $100,992 | +7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $120,094 | +7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $141,915 | +7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $79,640 | $85,182 (+6.7%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $127,740 | $136,630 (+3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $92,010 | $98,413 (+2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $98,410 | $105,258 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.