City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Miami, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Miami, FL are 11.1% higher than in Hartford, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Hartford, CT would need about $111,100 in Miami, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,995 a month in Miami, FL versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Miami, FL and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Miami, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.6% moving from Hartford, CT to Miami, FL ($120,094 → $113,356), while prices change by +11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −15.0% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Miami, FL: price level 114.2 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Miami, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 114.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,104 in Miami | $90,006 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,995/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% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $48,640 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Miami-Miami Beach-Kendall, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Miami |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 155.6 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 103.6 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 97.2 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 109.1 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 114.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Miami, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
30 Weak offer
Miami, FL → Hartford, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Miami, FL is in Miami-Port St. Lucie-Fort Lauderdale, FL. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Miami, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Miami, FL | Real change, Hartford → Miami |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $65,735 | −15.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $79,533 | −15.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $95,326 | −15.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $113,356 | −15.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $133,953 | −15.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Miami, FL | Miami pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $58,300 | $52,473 (−34.2%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $132,650 | $119,393 (−9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $80,920 | $72,833 (−24.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $91,380 | $82,247 (−18.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.