City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 5.8% higher than in Lakeland, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Lakeland, FL would need about $105,800 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 $1,230 in Lakeland, FL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 19% in Lakeland, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Lakeland, FL ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.3% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,545 in Lakeland | $105,770 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Lakeland, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
87 Strong offer
Lakeland, FL → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Lakeland, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Hartford → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $50,420 | $53,329 (−33.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $122,200 | $129,251 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $76,820 | $81,252 (−15.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $84,030 | $88,879 (−12.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.