City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Myrtle Beach, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 9.7% higher than in Myrtle Beach, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Myrtle Beach, SC would need about $109,700 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 $1,229 in Myrtle Beach, SC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 20% in Myrtle Beach, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $918 a year higher in Myrtle Beach, SC than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Myrtle Beach, SC ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Myrtle Beach, SC: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Myrtle Beach, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,139 in Myrtle Beach | $109,722 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,229/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $37,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Myrtle Beach-North Myrtle Beach-Conway, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 83.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 88.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Myrtle Beach, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$918/yr.
99 Strong offer
Myrtle Beach, SC → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$918/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Myrtle Beach, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Myrtle Beach, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Myrtle Beach, SC | Real change, Hartford → Myrtle Beach |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Myrtle Beach, SC | Myrtle Beach pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | not published | — |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | not published | — |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $74,520 | $81,765 (−14.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $80,640 | $88,480 (−12.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.