City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 7.5% higher than in Albuquerque, NM. Someone earning $100,000 in Albuquerque, NM would need about $107,500 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 $1,185 in Albuquerque, NM. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 19% in Albuquerque, NM.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $356 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Albuquerque, NM.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.6% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Hartford, CT ($107,592 → $120,094), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (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
| Albuquerque, NM | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,536 in Hartford | $92,992 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$356/yr.
47 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$356/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Hartford, CT | Real change, Albuquerque → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $69,642 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $84,260 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $100,992 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $120,094 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $141,915 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $75,520 | $79,800 | $74,208 (−1.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $132,520 | $123,234 (−0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $95,940 | $89,217 (+11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $101,470 | $94,359 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.