City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 8.2% higher than in Lansing, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Lansing, MI would need about $108,200 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 $1,012 in Lansing, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 16% in Lansing, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,925 a year in CT and $3,999 in MI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hartford, CT to Lansing, MI ($120,094 → $117,402), while prices change by −7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,452 in Lansing | $108,164 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,012/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Lansing, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$74/yr.
94 Strong offer
Lansing, MI → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$74/yr.
45 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Lansing, MI | Real change, Hartford → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $68,081 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $82,372 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $98,729 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $117,402 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $138,734 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $72,930 | $78,884 (−1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $97,120 | $105,049 (−20.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $79,210 | $85,677 (−10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $84,320 | $91,204 (−10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.