City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 5.9% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $105,900 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 $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $935 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.8% moving from Hartford, CT to Rochester, NY ($120,094 → $107,182), while prices change by −5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,442 in Rochester | $105,886 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$935/yr.
87 Strong offer
Rochester, NY → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$935/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Rochester, NY | Real change, Hartford → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $62,155 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $75,202 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $90,135 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $107,182 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $126,657 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $62,840 | $66,538 (−16.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $122,770 | $129,996 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $80,890 | $85,651 (−10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $86,570 | $91,665 (−9.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.