City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Jackson, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 15.4% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $115,400 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 $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $657 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Jackson, MS ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.3% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,668 in Jackson | $115,383 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,097/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $42,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$657/yr.
100 Strong offer
Jackson, MS → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$657/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Jackson, MS | Real change, Hartford → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | +2.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | +2.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | +2.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | +2.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | +2.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $50,240 | $57,968 (−27.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $96,990 | $111,910 (−15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $70,720 | $81,599 (−14.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $82,630 | $95,341 (−6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.