City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hartford, CT (102.7) and Portland, ME (101.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hartford, CT goes as far as $99,100 in Portland, ME.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,729 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Portland, ME ($120,094 → $120,548), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.3% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,136 in Portland | $100,872 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,729/yr.
68 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,729/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Portland, ME | Real change, Hartford → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $69,905 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $84,579 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $101,375 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $120,548 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $142,452 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $76,770 | $77,439 (−3.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $128,710 | $129,832 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $79,790 | $80,486 (−16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $88,470 | $89,241 (−12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.