BLS and Census data

Running a painting business in Hartford, CT

The Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metro area has about 630 painters. The median wage is $28.14 an hour, so half earn more and half earn less. That's in line with the Connecticut median of $28.12. Nationally, the median is $23.75, so Hartford pays 18% more.

Market snapshot

Painters employed in the metro area
630
Median hourly wage
$28.14
Middle 50% earn
$21.79 to $36.98 an hour
Median annual wage
$58,520
Connecticut median hourly wage
$28.12
U.S. median hourly wage
$23.75
Job concentration
0.73× the national share
Painting contractors in the metro area
116
Hartford population
121,127
Median year homes were built in Hartford
1951

Job concentration compares the share of local jobs held by painters with the share nationwide. Above 1 means the trade is more concentrated here than average.

How Hartford ranks in Connecticut

  • #1 of 5 Connecticut metros for the number of painters
  • #3 of 5 for median hourly wage

Painting in nearby cities

CityWorkers in the metroMedian hourly wage
Waterbury, CT210$26.77
Springfield, MA180$23.86
New Haven, CT340$28.12
Norwich, CT420$28.24
Amherst Town, MA60$26.46
Bridgeport, CT480$28.65

How Tradesman helps painting businesses in Hartford

Options for every finish

Offer walls only, walls plus trim, or the full room as options on one estimate. Customers choose before they approve.

Know when the crew is on site

Crew members get a reminder to clock in when they arrive at the job and to clock out when they leave.

Margins by job

Paint, supplies and labor hours log against each job, so you can see which kinds of jobs actually pay best.

Questions about painting in Hartford

How much do painters make in Hartford?

In May 2025, the median wage for painters in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metro area was $28.14 an hour. The middle half earned between $21.79 and $36.98 an hour.

How many painters work in Hartford?

About 630 painters worked in the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metro area in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

How many painting contractors are in Hartford?

The Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metro area had 116 establishments classified as painting contractors in 2023, according to the Census Bureau's County Business Patterns.

Sources

Figures cover the Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT metro area unless they name Hartford. Wages are for employees, not business owners.

Run your painting business in Hartford from one place.

Estimates, scheduling, dispatch and payments in one app. Setup takes about five minutes.

Other trades in Hartford