City comparison
Akron, OH vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 10.0% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $110,000 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 $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,957 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.1% moving from Akron, OH to Hartford, CT ($111,138 → $120,094), while prices change by +10.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,042 in Hartford | $90,875 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,957/yr.
40 Weak offer
Hartford, CT → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,957/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Hartford, CT | Real change, Akron → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $69,642 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $84,260 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $100,992 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $120,094 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $141,915 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $79,800 | $72,518 (−7.7%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $132,520 | $120,427 (+14.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $95,940 | $87,185 (+11.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $101,470 | $92,210 (+14.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.