City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 11.0% higher than in Kansas City, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in Kansas City, MO would need about $111,000 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 $1,197 in Kansas City, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 19% in Kansas City, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,925 a year in CT and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.9% moving from Hartford, CT to Kansas City, MO ($120,094 → $108,173), while prices change by −9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Kansas City, MO: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,070 in Kansas City | $111,025 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Kansas City, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.0%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$162/yr.
100 Strong offer
Kansas City, MO → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$162/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Hartford → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $62,729 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $75,897 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $90,968 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $108,173 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $127,829 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $61,060 | $67,792 (−15.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $124,990 | $138,770 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $80,040 | $88,865 (−7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $83,040 | $92,195 (−9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.