50
States ranked
1,312
Cities scored
49
Data sources
11
Scoring categories
America’s Dashboard

America's Dashboard ranks and scores all 50 US states and1,312 cities using real government data. Compare economy, safety, health, education, affordability, and more — free, transparent, and updated with the latest federal statistics.

Updated as each source publishes its latest release

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Data sources

Rankings are computed from publicly available federal and state government datasets, supplemented by a handful of published indexes (such as the Tax Foundation, Child Care Aware of America and Zillow Research). Figures are used as each source publishes them, including the FBI's own state crime estimates; nothing is synthetic or modeled by us, and every source is cited below.

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS annual averages·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-year·
  • FBI Crime Data Explorer, estimated crimes by state·
  • CDC NCHS U.S. State Life Tables·
  • CDC BRFSS·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (table S2701)·
  • NAEP, The Nation's Report Card·
  • EDFacts adjusted cohort graduation rate (NCES)·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates·
  • Cook Political Report, PVI·
  • Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures·
  • ALEC Rich States Poor States·
  • WalletHub Tax Burden Study·
  • Zillow Research, Zillow Home Value Index·
  • BEA Regional Price Parities·
  • EPA AirData, Median AQI by County·
  • EIA State Electricity Profiles·
  • FEMA National Risk Index·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS Broadband Subscriptions·
  • National Park Service API·
  • USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US)·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-year Commuting·
  • FHWA Highway Statistics·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns·
  • EIA residential electricity prices·
  • EIA State Energy Data System, motor gasoline prices·
  • EIA Natural Gas Prices, residential·
  • Child Care Aware of America, Price & Supply·
  • Tax Foundation, State Income Tax Rates and Brackets·
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, goods·
  • NCES Common Core of Data (CCD)·
  • EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates·
  • NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33)·
  • BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9)·
  • NASBO Fiscal Survey of States·
  • Census Bureau State Government Finances·
  • Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50·
  • Pew Charitable Trusts, State Pension Funding·
  • S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia·
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES·
  • IRS Statistics of Income, State-to-State Migration·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS State-to-State Migration Flows·
  • Zillow Research, Home Values, Rents & Market Metrics·
  • FBI Crime Data Explorer, city police agency reports·
  • CDC PLACES, city health estimates·
  • NOAA U.S. Climate Normals·
  • EPA National Walkability Index
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America’s Dashboard
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Home/States/Connecticut

2026 edition·Northeast·Pop. 3,688,496·Capital Hartford·5th state, admitted 1788·Cook PVI D+10

Is Connecticut a Good Place to Live? Connecticut Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes

Connecticut ranks #16 of 50 with a composite score of 66.9 and a B+ grade, strongest in safety (#4) and weakest in fiscal health (#46). The median household earns $96,049 (19% above the national median), homes typically cost $450,873 (22% above the national average), and violent crime is 110 per 100,000 (67% below the national average).

Editor's verdict
You pay for Connecticut twice, once at closing and again every July when the town bills you for the car in the driveway, with electricity at 29.38 cents per kWh on top. That deal still works for two-earner households who want the Metro-North commute and schools ranked #6 nationally without paying Westchester prices.
Compare Connecticut with its neighbors →Best cities in Connecticut →How the score works →
Composite score
66.9B+
#16 of 50 · #5 in the Northeast
Top 10 in
Safety #4, Education #6, Health #10
Middle of the pack
Economy #11, Livability #19, Transportation #25, Outdoor Access #27, Environment #29, Growth #32
Bottom 10 in
Affordability #41, Fiscal Health #46
NumbersNumbersScorecardScoresCostCostTaxesTaxesSafetySafetyJobsJobsSchools & healthSchoolsMovingMovingCitiesCitiesBest forBest forNeighborsNeighborsFAQFAQ
Top ↑

Connecticut by the numbers

Six measures every state is judged on, each with Connecticut's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.

Median household income
$96,049
#10 of 50, 1 = highest · US $80,903
Typical home value
$450,873
#37 of 50, 1 = cheapest · US $368,697
Cost of living index
103.6
#42 of 50, 1 = cheapest · US 100
Violent crime per 100K
110
#2 of 50, 1 = safest · US 328
Unemployment rate
4%
#25 of 50, 1 = lowest · US 3.95%
Total tax burden
9.9%
#41 of 50, 1 = lowest · US 8.74%

Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.

→Read the Connecticut overview

Connecticut scores above the national average in 6 of 11 categories and ranks #5 of 11 states in the Northeast, behind 4 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is violent crime rate (110, 67% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is typical home value ($450,873, 22% above the national average). That mix of top-10 finishes (3) and bottom-10 finishes (2) is why the composite alone undersells the tradeoffs a mover here faces.

What stands out
  • Towns tax the cars in your driveway every year on top of an effective rate of 1.79% on the house, #47 of 50.
  • Fairfield County runs on Metro-North to Grand Central; the rest of the state drives, and only 4% of commuters statewide ride transit.
  • Arriving households report $110,822 in income, second-highest in the country, and most of them come from New York across the Westchester line.

Where does Connecticut rank in each category?

All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Connecticut is top 10 in 3 and bottom 10 in 2.

CategoryScoreRankGradeWeightUS avgThe numbers behind it
Economy59.4#11 of 50B+15%47.1Its unemployment rate is 4% and median household income is $96,049.
Safety90.1#4 of 50A+12%68.9The FBI estimates 109.6 violent crimes and 1,146 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
Health74.3#10 of 50A12%54.4Life expectancy is 79.4 years, 32% of adults have obesity, and 5.8% of residents are uninsured.
Education74.1#6 of 50A12%57.5Eighth graders average 277 in NAEP math and 263 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 88.9%.
Affordability48.0#41 of 50C10%65.2Typical home value $450,873 (4.7x median income); cost of living index 103.6 (100 = US); center-based infant care $18,616 a year.
Fiscal Health38.4#46 of 50D8%58.1It carries $11,038 of debt per resident, has 52% of pensions funded, and holds a A+ credit rating.
Growth31.3#32 of 50C+7%38.8Population grew 0.38% last year; Census net domestic migration is -1.6 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series).
Transportation51.4#25 of 50B7%49.8The average commute is 27 minutes, 4% of workers use public transit, and 13.4% work from home.
Livability35.7#19 of 50B7%34.3It has 2.05 restaurants and 0.029 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.066 bars and 0.081 social associations per 1,000.
Outdoor Access23.8#27 of 50C+6%29.40.9% of its land is public, with 4.06 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents.
Environment38.3#29 of 50C+4%42.5Its median air quality index is 39, 5% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 15.6.

Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.

Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.

Category shape

Connecticut's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Connecticut bulges toward safety and dips at fiscal health.

How expensive is Connecticut?

Connecticut's cost of living index is 103.6 against a national baseline of 100, 4% above the national average and #42 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $450,873 (22% above the national average); buying it takes an income of about $131,866, $35,817 more than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Torrington is cheapest (index 97.9) and Danbury priciest (106.9).

Housing market snapshot · August

Warm market
Typical home value
$450,873
+5.0% in 1 yr · +40.3% in 5 yr · national $369K
Mortgage payment
$2,320/mo
P&I, 20% down, current rates
Income needed
$132K
median earns $96K (+37%)
Rent, Hartford
$2,034/mo
renting cheaper by $37 vs. a $2,071 metro payment
Price cuts · days
20% · 24
national 26% · 53 days

Ranked #14 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #36 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household is $35,817 short of the income needed to buy the typical home.

Full Connecticut housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →

What a household keeps at $75,000

HouseholdConnecticutMedian stateRank
Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare−$31,415−$11,758#40 of 50
Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare+$24,682+$31,418#40 of 50
Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax+$28,046+$35,970#40 of 50

Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.

Electricity price
29.38¢/kWh
#46 of 50 · US 17.84¢/kWh
Natural gas price
$16.83/Mcf
#33 of 50 · US $15.83/Mcf
Gasoline price
$3.37/gal
#42 of 50 · US $3.32/gal
Price level for goods
97.3
#32 of 50 · US 100
Center-based infant care, per year
$18,616
#37 of 50 · US $15,633
Editor's note

In Connecticut the house is rarely the surprise; utilities and childcare are. The typical home runs $450,873, but price to income of 4.7x is gentler than the national 4.6x. What sinks budgets is electricity at 29.38 cents per kWh, among the priciest anywhere, and infant care at $18,616. Stamford and Norwalk price like the outer boroughs; the Naugatuck Valley and Norwich cost a third less. A family of four on $75,000 ends the year at a $31,415 shortfall, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state, #40.

  • Run your own budget for Connecticut →
  • Connecticut housing market →
  • Housing rankings →

What are taxes like in Connecticut?

Connecticut's tax mix is high income tax, high property tax, with sales tax in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 9.9% of income, 1.2 points above the national average (#41 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 1.79% of home value (#47), and combined sales tax averages 6.35% (#18).

Total tax burden
9.9%
#41 of 50 · US 8.74%
Top income tax rate
6.99%
#38 of 50 · US avg 5.46%
Effective property tax
1.79%
#47 of 50 · US 1.02%
Combined sales tax
6.35%
#18 of 50 · US 6.66%

Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.

Can the state pay its bills?

Credit rating
A+
S&P / Moody's
Rainy-day fund
15.4%
of spending · #8 of 50
Pensions funded
52%
of obligations · #48 of 50
Debt per resident
$11,038
state debt · #50 of 50

Fiscal health scores 38.4 out of 100, #46 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.

Editor's note

Connecticut taxes income, property and cars, not shopping. The top income rate is 6.99% and sales tax is 6.35%, under the national 6.66%, with no local add-ons. Property tax is where the money goes: an effective 1.79%, plus a vehicle mill rate set town by town, so the same car costs more in Hartford than Greenwich. For a retiree, Social Security and pension treatment depends on income thresholds. For a New York City high earner, no city income tax makes the state rate feel light.

  • Fiscal health rankings →
  • Best states for retirees →

Is Connecticut safe?

Connecticut reports 110 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 67% below the national average and #2 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,146 per 100,000, 25% below the national average (#10 of 50). The safety score is 90.1 out of 100, #4 of 50; among tracked cities, Shelton has the lowest violent crime rate.

Connecticut vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents

Violent crime#2 of 50
CT
110
US
328
Property crime#10 of 50
CT
1,146
US
1,535

FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.

Safest tracked cities in Connecticut

CityPopulationViolent / 100KProperty / 100K
West Hartford63,620451,943
Norwalk92,18750974
Bristol61,46253647
West Haven55,35165891
Milford51,023711,776

Lowest violent crime among the 20 Connecticut cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.

Editor's note

Connecticut's violent crime rate of 110 per hundred thousand is 67% below the national average, and the statewide number hides a sharp split. Hartford, New Haven, Bridgeport and Waterbury carry most of it; the suburbs ringing them, Shelton, West Hartford, Bristol, run at a fraction. Shelton posts the lowest violent crime among tracked cities. A newcomer who picks a Hartford zip code by price gets a different experience than the figure promises.

  • Safety rankings →
  • Best states for families →

What is the job market like in Connecticut?

Connecticut's unemployment rate is 4%, in line with the national average and #25 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $96,049, 19% above the national median. Real GDP grew +1.9% in the latest year (#25 of 50) and GDP per capita is $87,478, 36% above the national average. The population is growing 0.38% a year, 0.1 points below the national average. The economy score is 59.4 out of 100, #11 of 50.

Median household income
$96,049
#10 of 50 · US $80,903
Unemployment rate
4%
#25 of 50 · US 3.95%
GDP per capita
$87,478
#5 of 50 · US $64,333
Real GDP growth
+1.9%
#25 of 50 · US +1.91%
Population growth
+0.38%
#30 of 50 · US +0.51%

Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.

Highest-paying tracked occupations in Connecticut, adjusted for cost of living

OccupationCost-adjustedMedian wageMetro
Family Medicine Physicians$251,244$261,294Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
Lawyers$170,242$177,052Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
Software Developers$144,014$149,775Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
Computer Systems Analysts$118,988$123,747Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk
General & Operations Managers$111,486$115,945Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.

Editor's note

Insurance in Hartford, hedge funds in Greenwich and Stamford, submarines at Electric Boat in Groton, jet engines at Pratt & Whitney, and Yale are the payrolls that matter. Median household income is $96,049, 19% above the national median, but unemployment at 4% runs above the national 3.95%. Cost-adjusted, the best-paid tracked job is family medicine physicians in Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, a median $261,294. The Gold Coast belongs to the New York job market; the Hartford corridor and the Quiet Corner do not, and wages fall off fast east of the Connecticut River.

  • Economy rankings →
  • Wages by occupation and metro →

How are Connecticut's schools and healthcare?

Connecticut's education score is 74.1 out of 100, #6 of 50. Eighth graders average 277 in NAEP math (#17 of 50) and 263 in reading (#5 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 88.9%, 3.3 points above the national average (#11 of 50).

Education score
74.1
#6 of 50 · US 57.5
Graduation rate
88.9%
#11 of 50 · US 85.6%
NAEP math, grade 8
277
#17 of 50 · US 273 · grade 4: 239
NAEP reading, grade 8
263
#5 of 50 · US 257 · grade 4: 219

Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate

CityGrad rateStudents / teacherPer pupil
Shelton95%14.1$20,407
West Hartford93.2%12.4$24,041
Milford93%10.9$27,086

NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.

Editor's note

Connecticut ranks #6 for education with a graduation rate of 88.9%, 3.3 points above the national average. Schools are run town by town, with no county government, so quality tracks the local grand list: West Hartford, Shelton and the Fairfield County suburbs post graduation rates in the mid-nineties while Hartford, Bridgeport and New Haven sit far lower. Among tracked cities, Shelton graduates the largest share. Buying a house here is buying a district.

  • Education rankings →

Connecticut is #10 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 79.4 years, 2.5 years above the national average. 32% of adults have obesity (#14 of 50) and 5.8% of residents have no health insurance (#13 of 50). The health score is 74.3 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.

Health score
74.3
#10 of 50 · US 54.4
Life expectancy
79.4 years
#5 of 50 · US 76.9 years
Adults with obesity
32%
#14 of 50 · US 34%
Uninsured
5.8%
#13 of 50 · US 7.6%

CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.

Editor's note

Connecticut's health rank is #10, and life expectancy of 79.4 years places #5. Nothing is far from a hospital; Yale New Haven and Hartford HealthCare are within an hour of almost anywhere, and coverage is high. The gap is income, not distance: Hartford and Bridgeport neighborhoods carry the chronic-disease burden the average hides. For a mover with an ongoing condition, the question is which network your plan uses.

  • Health rankings →

Who is moving to Connecticut, and who is leaving?

Connecticut lost a net 5,674 households to other states in the latest IRS release: 47,953 moved in and 53,627 moved out, -1.5 per 1,000 residents (#41 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $110,822 against $107,674 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net -5.7K people (82.0K in, 87.7K out, ±10.3K), consistent with the IRS direction.

Households moving in
47,953
top origin New York
Households moving out
53,627
top destination New York
Net per 1,000 residents
-1.5
#41 of 50 · -5,674 households
Avg income, arrivals
$110,822
leavers $107,674 · arrivals earn more

Where they come from

  1. 1New York15,535 · $155,260
  2. 2Massachusetts6,006 · $86,523
  3. 3Florida4,519 · $88,583
  4. 4New Jersey2,242 · $131,033
  5. 5California2,146 · $113,678

Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.

Where they go

  1. 1New York10,486 · $114,774
  2. 2Florida7,668 · $157,847
  3. 3Massachusetts6,467 · $86,034
  4. 4California2,534 · $123,206
  5. 5North Carolina2,442 · $93,459

Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.

Editor's note

Connecticut trades households with New York in both directions and loses on net, -5,674 households, -1.5 per thousand residents. New York sends the most arrivals, and they are rich: $110,822 average income, #2 nationally. Departures earn $107,674 and head to New York, Florida and Massachusetts. That is consistent with Fairfield County absorbing city families who want a yard and a train, while retirees cash out for Florida.

  • All Connecticut migration flows →
  • State-by-state migration →

Where should you live in Connecticut?

By composite score, the best of the 20 Connecticut cities we track are West Hartford (75.4), Milford (69.3), and Stamford (67.9). Torrington is the cheapest (cost index 97.9), West Hartford the richest ($129,890), and Norwalk the fastest growing (+0.8% a year). City ranks are among the 20 Connecticut cities we cover, not every city in the state.

Standout cities in Connecticut

Best forCityMeasure
SafestShelton32 violent crimes per 100K
CheapestTorringtoncost of living index 97.9
Most walkableNew Havenwalkability 13.9 of 20
Cleanest airNorwichmedian AQI 38 (county)
Best schoolsShelton95% graduation rate
RichestWest Hartford$129,890

Among the 20 Connecticut cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.

Editor's note

Regions of Connecticut

Fairfield County (the Gold Coast)

Metro-North country: the priciest homes, Wall Street salaries, and Bridgeport's poverty in the same county. Hedge funds in Greenwich, big Brazilian and Latin American communities in Danbury and Bridgeport.

StamfordNorwalkBridgeportDanburyShelton
Hartford and the Connecticut River Valley

Insurance and aerospace payrolls, affordable suburbs, and a capital city that is among the poorest places in the state. Cheaper than Fairfield County by a wide margin.

HartfordWest HartfordEast HartfordManchesterNew BritainBristolMiddletown
New Haven and the Shoreline

Yale, the hospital and apizza in the city; commuter towns along the Sound with Shore Line East trains and interstate traffic to match.

New HavenWest HavenMilfordMeriden
Naugatuck Valley and the Litchfield Hills

Former brass and mill towns with the cheapest housing in the state, longer drives to work, and weekend-house country in the hills just beyond.

WaterburyNaugatuckTorrington
Eastern Connecticut and the Quiet Corner

Rural and cheaper, organized around Electric Boat, the sub base and the two casinos; Norwich and New London are the towns, Storrs the campus.

Norwich

All 20 tracked cities, best to worst

#CityGradeScorePopulationIncomeViolent / 100KCost index
1West Hartford
A+
75.463,620$129,89045102.7
2Milford
A+
69.351,023$111,20171104.6
3Stamford
A+
67.9137,144$111,586154106.9
4Norwalk
A
67.092,187$107,61650106.9
5Shelton
A
66.941,889$108,1853299.8
6Naugatuck
A
63.931,800$96,3245699.8
7Middletown
A
63.847,958$79,43867102.7
8Bristol
B+
62.761,462$79,0765399.8
9Torrington
B+
59.935,547$70,8569897.9
10West Haven
B+
59.455,351$74,38265104.6
11Danbury
B+
59.287,263$83,393146106.9
12East Hartford
B
58.750,918$70,77892102.7
13Manchester
B
57.636,759$74,267—102.7
14Norwich
B
57.439,973$65,024215100.4
15Meriden
B
56.760,545$71,253153104.6
16New Britain
C+
53.174,223$58,613424102.7
17New Haven
C+
52.7134,349$56,851399104.6
18Bridgeport
C
52.1149,153$58,685250106.9
19Waterbury
D
48.7114,869$51,88629599.8
20Hartford
D
48.0121,127$46,411459102.7

Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 Connecticut cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.

Best cities in Connecticut for…

#CityScoreEducationSafetyAffordability
1West Hartford72.987.689.557.6
2Milford69.192.089.454.8
3Shelton68.179.698.957.7
4Bristol67.977.098.870.0
5Middletown67.084.795.666.2
All Connecticut cities for families →Best states for families →
  • All 1,312 cities →

Who is Connecticut best for?

The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Connecticut cities for each.

Families
#8of 50
Best Connecticut cities →
Retirees
#24of 50
Best Connecticut cities →
Remote Workers
#37of 50
Best Connecticut cities →
Young Professionals
#19of 50
Best Connecticut cities →
Small Business
#32of 50
Best Connecticut cities →
Outdoor Enthusiasts
#20of 50
Best Connecticut cities →
Connecticut fits
  • Two-earner families with New York salaries: schools rank #6, and Stamford is under an hour from Grand Central by train.
  • Households leaving the city for safety: violent crime is 110 per hundred thousand, 67% below the national average.
  • People with a career in Hartford's insurance towers or Groton's shipyard: GDP per capita is $87,478, #5 nationally.
Connecticut does not fit
  • Anyone raising kids on $75,000: a family of four ends the year at a $31,415 shortfall here, #40 of 50.
  • Remote workers hunting cheap square footage: the state ranks #37 for them and the typical home is $450,873.
  • People who want public land: only 0.9% of Connecticut is public, #49 of 50.

Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →

How does Connecticut compare with its neighbors?

Connecticut ranks #16. Among its bordering states, Massachusetts ranks highest (#13) and New York lowest (#29). Massachusetts is the most similar on the composite score and New York the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.

StateOverallScoreMedian incomeTypical homeCost indexViolent crimeTax burdenCompare
Connecticut#1666.9$96,049$450,873103.61109.9%
Massachusetts#1370.0$104,828$661,896105.83039.57%Compare →
Rhode Island#1962.0$83,504$511,233102.314410.08%Compare →
New York#2954.9$85,820$526,714107.936813.56%Compare →
United States—57.9$80,903$368,6971003288.74%

Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.

People also compare
Connecticut vs. Florida →Connecticut vs. New Jersey →
Other Northeast states
  • New Hampshire#1
  • Vermont#8
  • Maine#9
  • Pennsylvania#25
  • New Jersey#28
  • Delaware#30
  • Maryland#31
Editor's note

The New York math is the one people run. A Stamford or Greenwich address puts you on Metro-North into Grand Central with no city income tax, a lower state top rate and no highway tolls. Massachusetts has a flat income tax and higher home prices; Rhode Island is the cheaper beach.

  • Compare Connecticut with any state →

How the score works

Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.

The weights

Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.

From raw numbers to scores

Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.

Letter grades

Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.

Cities, budgets and neighbors

The 20 Connecticut city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.

Editor's notes

Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.

Always the latest release

Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.

What the score cannot tell you

Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.

Category briefs

Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →

Key takeaways

What the Connecticut numbers say when read together.

  1. 01

    Safety is Connecticut's strongest suit

    Connecticut is a #16 state overall but #4 of 50 for safety, 12 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 90.1 against a national average of 68.9. Education (#6) is next. Safety carries 12% of the composite.

  2. 02

    Fiscal Health is where Connecticut falls furthest behind

    Connecticut ranks #46 of 50 for fiscal health, 30 places below its overall #16, with a score of 38.4 against a national average of 58.1. At 8% of the composite, it is the category holding the overall score down most.

  3. 03

    Violent crime rate is 67% below the national average

    Connecticut's violent crime rate is 110, 67% below the national average of 328, #2 of 50 (1 = safest). The largest gap in the other direction is typical home value: $450,873, 22% above the national average. Source: FBI estimates, latest release.

  4. 04

    More households leave than arrive

    Connecticut ranks #41 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (-1.5). The households arriving report $3,148 more in average income than those leaving ($110,822 against $107,674), so the state is trading up on income even as the headcount shrinks. New York is both the largest source and the largest destination.

  5. 05

    A middle income is squeezed harder here than in most states

    A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $31,415 shortfall after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#40 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $24,682 surplus; a retiree couple at a $28,046 surplus. Infant childcare runs $18,616 a year, 19% above the national average.

  6. 06

    Connecticut sits 2nd among its 4-state neighborhood

    1 of Connecticut's 3 bordering states ranks above its #16; the closest match on the composite is Massachusetts. Median income among them runs from $83,504 in Rhode Island to $104,828 in Massachusetts; Connecticut is at $96,049.

Editor's note

The tradeoff

+Schools ranked #6 and violent crime 67% below the national average make suburban Connecticut an easy place to raise kids.

−You pay for that with an effective property tax of 1.79% and an annual car tax bill from the town.

+Median household income is $96,049, #10 in the country, and Fairfield County wages track Manhattan's.

−Electricity at 29.38 cents per kWh and infant care at $18,616 eat that margin faster than newcomers expect.

+The rainy-day fund is healthy at 15.4% of spending, #8 nationally.

−State debt per resident is $11,038, the highest in the country, and pensions are only 52% funded.

Frequently asked questions about living in Connecticut

Is Connecticut a good place to live?

Connecticut ranks #16 of 50 with a B+ grade, #5 of 11 in the Northeast. It is top 10 in safety, education, and health and bottom 10 in affordability and fiscal health. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 2 of 6 (income and violent crime) and trails on home prices, cost of living, unemployment, and tax burden. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.

Where does Connecticut rank among US states?

Connecticut ranks #16 of 50 overall with a composite score of 66.9 (grade B+), and #5 of 11 states in the Northeast. Its best category rank is #4 (safety) and its worst #46 (fiscal health). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so B+ means rank 11–18.

Is it expensive to live in Connecticut?

At #42 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Connecticut is 4% above the national average: its index is 103.6 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $450,873 (22% above the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $131,866 against a median household income of $96,049. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $31,415 shortfall after all costs, #40 of 50 (1 = most left over).

Does Connecticut have a state income tax?

Yes. Connecticut's top state income tax rate is 6.99% (#38 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 9.9% of income, 1.2 points above the national average. Property tax is 1.79% of home value and combined sales tax 6.35%.

What is the crime rate in Connecticut?

Connecticut reports 110 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 67% below the national average and #2 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,146 property crimes per 100,000, 25% below the national average (#10). Its safety score is 90.1 out of 100, #4 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.

Does Connecticut have good schools?

Connecticut is #6 of 50 for education (score 74.1 out of 100). Its public school students average 277 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#17) and 263 in eighth-grade reading (#5), and the high school graduation rate is 88.9%, 3.3 points above the national average (#11). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Shelton has the highest graduation rate at 95%.

Why are people leaving Connecticut?

Connecticut lost a net 5,674 households in the latest IRS release: 47,953 moved in and 53,627 moved out, -1.5 per 1,000 residents (#41 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is New York (15,535 households) and the most common destination is New York (10,486). Arriving households report an average income of $110,822 against $107,674 for those leaving, so movers in earn more than movers out. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.

Is Connecticut a red or blue state?

Connecticut leans blue: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is D+10, meaning it votes about 10 points more Democratic than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.

What are the downsides of living in Connecticut?

Connecticut is expensive in ways the cost index misses. Property tax runs 1.79%, electricity 29.38 cents per kWh, and every town sends a car tax bill each year. The state also carries $11,038 in debt per resident, #50, pressure on future taxes rather than services today. Add slow growth at +0.38% and a job market split between a rich Gold Coast and a flat Hartford corridor.

Is Connecticut a good place to retire?

Depends on how much of your income is pension. Connecticut ranks #24 for retirees; a retiree couple on $75,000 ends the year at a $28,046 surplus, $7,924 below the national median. Social Security and pension exemptions depend on income thresholds, so a modest retiree does better than the headline suggests, a wealthy one worse. Care is close; life expectancy is 79.4 years. Retirees land on the Shoreline and in the Quiet Corner.

Do I need a car in Connecticut?

Yes, outside a handful of Metro-North and Hartford Line stops. 4% of commuters use transit, #9 nationally, almost all on the New Haven Line from Fairfield County into Manhattan. Hartford and New Haven have bus systems you can live on in the right neighborhood, but the commute of 27 minutes is a driving number. And owning the car means paying the town tax on it yearly.

Is Connecticut cheaper than New York?

For a household that works in Manhattan, usually yes. Connecticut's cost index is 103.6, the top income rate is 6.99%, and there is no city income tax. The typical home is $450,873, well under New York's figure. The catch is property tax: Connecticut's 1.79% effective rate is close to Westchester's, so the savings come from income tax and home prices, not the town bill.

Where in Connecticut should I live?

Depends on which job market pays you. Manhattan commuters buy in Stamford, Norwalk or Shelton and ride the New Haven Line. Insurance and aerospace workers pick West Hartford, top by composite, or Bristol and Middletown for cheaper houses. Yale and hospital staff cluster in Milford and the shoreline. Bargain hunters look at Naugatuck and Torrington, the cheapest tracked city, with a longer drive.

All the numbers

Every metric behind Connecticut's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.

Median Household Income
$96,049
Census ACS · Nat'l avg: $80,903
Unemployment Rate
4%
BLS LAUS · Nat'l avg: 3.9%
Population Growth
+0.38%
Census, year over year · Nat'l avg: +0.5%
59.4Economy Score · National avg: 47.1
Violent Crime Rate
109.6
per 100K · FBI estimate · Nat'l avg: 313
Property Crime Rate
1,146
per 100K · FBI estimate · Nat'l avg: 1,475
90.1Safety Score · National avg: 68.9
Life Expectancy
79.4 yr
CDC NCHS · Nat'l avg: 76.9 yr
Adults With Obesity
32%
CDC BRFSS · Nat'l avg: 34%
Uninsured
5.8%
Census ACS · Nat'l avg: 7.6%
74.3Health Score · National avg: 54.4
HS Graduation Rate
88.9%
EDFacts · Nat'l avg: 85.6%
NAEP Math, 8th Grade
277
Nation's Report Card · Nat'l avg: 273
NAEP Reading, 8th Grade
263
Nation's Report Card · Nat'l avg: 257
74.1Education Score · National avg: 57.5
GDP Per Capita
$87,478
BEA · Nat'l avg: $64,333
GDP Growth Rate
+1.9%
Real, year over year · Nat'l avg: +1.9%
Credit Rating
A+
S&P / Moody's, latest
Fiscal Score
38.4
of 100 · Nat'l avg: 58.1
Budget Balance
+2.8%
Surplus · % of revenue · NASBO
State Debt Per Capita
$11,038
Census state finances · Nat'l avg: $3,506
Rainy Day Fund
15.4%
of expenditures · Pew Fiscal 50
Pension Funded Ratio
52%
Pew · Nat'l avg: 74.3%
Tax Burden
9.9%
of income · Nat'l avg: 8.74%
Income Tax Rate
6.99%
Top rate, state + local
Property Tax Rate
1.79%
Effective rate · Nat'l avg: 1.02%
Sales Tax Rate
6.35%
State + local avg · Nat'l avg: 6.66%
38.4Fiscal Health Score · National avg: 58.1
Typical Home Value
$450,873
Latest month · Nat'l avg: $383,360
Cost of Living Index
103.6
BEA Regional Price Parity · National = 100
Price-to-Income Ratio
4.7x
Home value ÷ median income · Nat'l avg: 4.6x
Electricity
29.38¢/kWh
EIA
Natural Gas
$16.83/Mcf
EIA
Gasoline
$3.37/gal
EIA
Infant Care (Center)
$18,616/yr
Child Care Aware of America
Goods Prices
97.3
BEA price level for goods · US = 100
48.0Affordability Score · National avg: 65.2
Air Quality Index
39
EPA annual median · Nat'l avg: 38.8
Renewable Energy
5%
EIA, % of electricity · Nat'l avg: 29%
Natural Disaster Risk
15.6
FEMA NRI per capita · Nat'l avg: 30
38.3Environment Score · National avg: 42.5
Public Land
0.9%
of state area · USGS PAD-US
Recreation Facilities
4.06
per 10K residents · Census CBP
Park Acreage per Capita
0
NPS acres per resident
23.8Outdoor Access Score · National avg: 29.4
Mean Commute Time
27 min
Mean travel time to work · Census ACS
60+ Min Commute
9.2%
of workers · Census ACS
Drive Alone
70.2%
of commuters · Census ACS
Public Transit Use
4%
of commuters · Census ACS
Walk / Bicycle
2.6%
active commuters · Census ACS
Work From Home
13.4%
of workers · Census ACS
Vehicle Miles Traveled
8,422
per capita · FHWA
Carpool Rate
8.2%
of commuters · Census ACS
51.4Transportation Score · National avg: 49.8
Restaurants per 1K
2.05
Census County Business Patterns
Arts & Entertainment
0.029
per 1K residents · Census CBP
Social Associations
0.081
per 1K residents · Census CBP
Bars & Breweries
0.066
per 1K residents · Census CBP
35.7Livability Score · National avg: 34.3
Net Domestic Migration
-1.6
per 1,000 residents · Nat'l avg: +1.1
Migration Trend
Stable
Roughly balanced migration
Broadband Subscription
94%
Households, any type · Census ACS · Nat'l avg: 92.7%
Households Moving In
48.0K
Top origin: New York
Households Moving Out
53.6K
Top destination: New York
31.3Growth Score · National avg: 38.8

Also consulted for the Connecticut editor's notes

  • Connecticut DMV: town property tax on motor vehicles ↗