City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 9.8% higher than in Scranton, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Scranton, PA would need about $109,800 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 $1,028 in Scranton, PA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 16% in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Scranton, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Scranton, PA ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.7% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Scranton, PA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,056 in Scranton | $109,823 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,028/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $46,330 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Scranton, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
99 Strong offer
Scranton, PA → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Scranton, PA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Scranton, PA | Real change, Hartford → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $76,590 | $84,113 (+5.4%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $119,960 | $131,744 (−0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $70,480 | $77,403 (−19.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $82,650 | $90,769 (−10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.