City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 11.0% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $111,000 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 $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Waco, TX ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.6% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,076 in Waco | $111,017 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Waco, TX | Real change, Hartford → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $59,100 | $65,611 (−17.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $123,080 | $136,639 (+3.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $76,140 | $84,528 (−11.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $92,890 | $103,123 (+1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.