City comparison
Durham, 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 5.3% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $105,300 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,507 a month in Durham, 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 Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.0% moving from Durham, NC to Hartford, CT ($111,147 → $120,094), while prices change by +5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,303 in Hartford | $94,964 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/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 | $60,720 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
53 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Hartford, CT | Real change, Durham → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $69,642 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $84,260 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $100,992 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $120,094 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $141,915 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $79,800 | $75,781 (+47.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $132,520 | $125,847 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $95,940 | $91,109 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $101,470 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.