City comparison
Corpus Christi, 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 10.9% higher than in Corpus Christi, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX would need about $110,900 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 $1,117 in Corpus Christi, TX. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 17% in Corpus Christi, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.3% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Hartford, CT ($106,955 → $120,094), while prices change by +10.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.3% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,872 in Hartford | $90,194 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/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 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
38 Weak offer
Hartford, CT → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Hartford, CT | Real change, Corpus Christi → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $69,642 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $84,260 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $100,992 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $120,094 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $141,915 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $79,800 | $71,975 (+19.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $132,520 | $119,525 (−3.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $95,940 | $86,532 (+14.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $101,470 | $91,520 (+10.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.