City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 6.0% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $106,000 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT versus $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,634 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.7% moving from Hartford, CT to Tucson, AZ ($120,094 → $108,455), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.2% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,306 in Tucson | $106,037 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,634/yr.
88 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,634/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Hartford → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $62,893 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $76,095 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $91,205 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $108,455 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $128,162 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $47,220 | $50,071 (−37.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $123,710 | $131,179 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $76,320 | $80,928 (−15.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $94,110 | $99,792 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.