City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 6.0% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $106,000 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 $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,925 a year in CT and $3,919 in WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.3% moving from Hartford, CT to Milwaukee, WI ($120,094 → $111,310), while prices change by −5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,346 in Milwaukee | $105,993 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$6/yr.
87 Strong offer
Milwaukee, WI → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$6/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Hartford → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $64,548 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $78,098 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $93,606 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $111,310 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $131,535 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $61,480 | $65,164 (−18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $123,730 | $131,145 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $80,290 | $85,101 (−11.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $97,360 | $103,194 (+1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.