City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 15.0% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $115,000 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 $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,925 a year in CT and $3,687 in AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Little Rock, AR ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −13.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.9% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,976 in Little Rock | $114,975 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
100 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Hartford → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $58,580 | $67,352 (−15.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $104,070 | $119,654 (−9.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $65,810 | $75,665 (−21.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $81,070 | $93,210 (−8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.