City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 1.2% higher than in Eugene, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Eugene, OR would need about $101,200 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 $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,995 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Eugene, OR to Hartford, CT ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.5% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (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
| Eugene, OR | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,160 in Hartford | $98,853 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,995/yr.
65 Fair offer
Hartford, CT → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,995/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Hartford, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Hartford, CT | Real change, Eugene → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +11.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +11.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +11.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +11.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +11.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $79,800 | $78,885 (+22.8%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $132,520 | $131,001 (+8.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $95,940 | $94,840 (+18.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $101,470 | $100,307 (−11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.