City comparison
Hartford, CT vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 8.1% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $108,100 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 $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,925 a year in CT and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.1% moving from Hartford, CT to St. Louis, MO ($120,094 → $109,137), while prices change by −7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,547 in St. Louis | $108,054 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$162/yr.
94 Strong offer
St. Louis, MO → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$162/yr.
45 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Hartford → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $63,288 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $76,573 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $91,779 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $109,137 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $128,967 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $60,650 | $65,535 (−17.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $129,030 | $139,422 (+5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $78,880 | $85,233 (−11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $83,180 | $89,879 (−11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.