City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 12.3% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $112,300 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,957 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Toledo, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Toledo, OH ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.4% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hartford, CT | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,011 in Toledo | $112,346 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.3%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,957/yr.
100 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,957/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Toledo, OH | Real change, Hartford → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $63,250 | $71,059 (−11.0%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $104,360 | $117,244 (−11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $77,400 | $86,956 (−9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $81,050 | $91,056 (−10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.