City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Hartford, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 12.5% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $112,500 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 $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Hartford, CT ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +12.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.3% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much 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
| Fayetteville, AR | Hartford, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 102.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,471 in Hartford | $88,911 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,477/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $59,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Hartford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 110.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 144.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 102.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
38 Weak offer
Hartford, CT → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR 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 Fayetteville, AR to Hartford, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Hartford, CT | Real change, Fayetteville → Hartford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Hartford, CT | Hartford pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $79,800 | $70,951 (+16.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $132,520 | $117,826 (+12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $95,940 | $85,302 (+10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $101,470 | $90,218 (+15.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.