City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 10.4% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $110,400 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 $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $810 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.7% moving from Hartford, CT to Huntsville, AL ($120,094 → $110,847), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,585 in Huntsville | $110,394 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$810/yr.
100 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$810/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Hartford → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $64,279 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $77,772 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $93,216 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $110,847 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $130,987 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $62,250 | $68,720 (−13.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $128,080 | $141,393 (+6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $79,220 | $87,454 (−8.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $77,090 | $85,103 (−16.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.