City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 8.5% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $108,500 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Pittsburgh, PA ($120,094 → $110,047), while prices change by −7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.5% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,141 in Pittsburgh | $108,530 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
95 Strong offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Hartford → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $63,815 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $77,211 | −0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $92,543 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $110,047 | −0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $130,042 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $76,550 | $83,079 (+4.1%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $124,500 | $135,119 (+2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $76,940 | $83,503 (−13.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $82,370 | $89,396 (−11.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.