City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 7.4% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $107,400 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 $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,005 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.5% moving from Hartford, CT to Indianapolis, IN ($120,094 → $107,428), while prices change by −6.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,138 in Indianapolis | $107,367 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,005/yr.
92 Strong offer
Indianapolis, IN → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,005/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Hartford → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $62,297 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $75,374 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $90,341 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $107,428 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $126,947 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $60,510 | $64,968 (−18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $106,870 | $114,743 (−13.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $79,290 | $85,131 (−11.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $84,230 | $90,435 (−10.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.