City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 5.5% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $105,500 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC and $1,477 in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.4% moving from Charlotte, NC to Hartford, CT ($108,810 → $120,094), while prices change by +5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (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
| Charlotte, NC | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,545 in Hartford | $94,746 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
52 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Hartford, CT | Real change, Charlotte → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $69,642 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $84,260 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $100,992 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $120,094 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $141,915 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $79,800 | $75,608 (+28.8%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $132,520 | $125,558 (−7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $95,940 | $90,900 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $101,470 | $96,139 (+6.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.