City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 1.8% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $101,800 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Hartford, CT ($117,402 → $120,094), while prices change by +1.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- 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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,850 in Hartford | $98,184 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$74/yr.
63 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Ann Arbor, MI
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$74/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Hartford, CT | Real change, Ann Arbor → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $69,642 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $84,260 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $100,992 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $120,094 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $141,915 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $79,800 | $78,351 (+22.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $132,520 | $130,113 (+2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $95,940 | $94,198 (+17.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $101,470 | $99,627 (−3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.