City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 7.3% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $107,300 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 $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $935 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Syracuse, NY ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,183 in Syracuse | $107,315 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,123/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$935/yr.
92 Strong offer
Syracuse, NY → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$935/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Hartford → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $78,560 | $84,307 (+5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $129,100 | $138,544 (+4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $82,230 | $88,246 (−8.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $86,960 | $93,322 (−8.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.