City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 2.0% higher than in Hartford, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Hartford, CT would need about $102,000 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT and $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,352 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Minneapolis, MN ($120,094 → $116,038), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,021 in Minneapolis | $98,019 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Minneapolis, MN
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,352/yr.
63 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Hartford, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,352/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Hartford → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $67,290 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $81,415 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $97,582 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $116,038 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $137,123 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $79,730 | $78,151 (−2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $130,920 | $128,327 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $86,500 | $84,787 (−11.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $103,040 | $100,999 (−0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.