City comparison
Austin, TX vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 4.8% higher than in Austin, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Austin, TX would need about $104,800 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.7% moving from Austin, TX to Hartford, CT ($109,428 → $120,094), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.7% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (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
| Austin, TX | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,772 in Hartford | $95,445 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
55 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Austin, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Hartford, CT | Real change, Austin → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $69,642 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $84,260 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $100,992 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $120,094 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $141,915 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $79,800 | $76,165 (+24.3%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $132,520 | $126,484 (−5.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $95,940 | $91,570 (+10.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $101,470 | $96,848 (−1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.