City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Nashville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 6.7% higher than in Nashville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Nashville, TN would need about $106,700 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Nashville, TN and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Nashville, TN ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Nashville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 96.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,763 in Nashville | $106,652 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,578/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $50,390 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Nashville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 104.6 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 72.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 96.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Nashville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
90 Strong offer
Nashville, TN → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Nashville, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Nashville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Nashville, TN | Real change, Hartford → Nashville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Nashville, TN | Nashville pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $61,460 | $65,548 (−17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $126,610 | $135,032 (+1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $78,080 | $83,274 (−13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $84,040 | $89,630 (−11.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.