City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 12.8% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $112,800 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 $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 17% in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $918 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Spartanburg, SC ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,618 in Spartanburg | $112,844 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Spartanburg, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$918/yr.
100 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$918/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Hartford → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $60,990 | $68,824 (−13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $114,460 | $129,162 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $77,080 | $86,981 (−9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $82,360 | $92,939 (−8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.