City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Santa Rosa, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Rosa, CA are 4.9% higher than in Hartford, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Hartford, CT would need about $104,900 in Santa Rosa, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,155 a month in Santa Rosa, CA versus $1,477 in Hartford, CT. On $100,000, that's 35% of take-home pay in Santa Rosa, CA and 24% in Hartford, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,145 a year higher in Santa Rosa, CA than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Hartford, CT to Santa Rosa, CA ($120,094 → $133,060), while prices change by +4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.6% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Santa Rosa, CA: price level 107.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Santa Rosa, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 107.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,903 in Santa Rosa | $95,326 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $2,155/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 35% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $56,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Santa Rosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 139.6 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 154.8 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 107.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Santa Rosa, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 35% of take-home; state tax +$1,145/yr.
39 Weak offer
Santa Rosa, CA → Hartford, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,145/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Santa Rosa, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Santa Rosa, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Santa Rosa, CA | Real change, Hartford → Santa Rosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $77,161 | +5.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $93,358 | +5.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $111,896 | +5.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $133,060 | +5.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $157,236 | +5.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Santa Rosa, CA | Santa Rosa pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $99,060 | $94,430 (+18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $148,630 | $141,683 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $94,690 | $90,264 (−5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $174,550 | $166,391 (+64.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.