Hartford, CT Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Hartford, CT Summary

Cost of living in Hartford research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Hartford is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Connecticut, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Hartford is 103, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Hartford is 1.0x higher than the national average.

  • Hartford ranks as the #6 cheapest in Connecticut out of 56.

  • Hartford ranks as the #2,952 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Hartford is $198,441.

  • The median income in Hartford is $45,300.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
103
Hartford's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Hartford, CT?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Hartford has an overall cost of living index of 103, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Connecticut, Hartford has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Connecticut's index of 119.

The standard of living in Hartford ranks as #6 most affordable out of the 56 places we measured in Connecticut. By definition, that implies Hartford ranks as the #50 most expensive place in the Constitution State.

For more reading on life in Hartford, check out:

6 out of 56
In Connecticut
2,952 out of 6,489
In America

Hartford Cost Of Living Vs. Connecticut

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Hartford. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Hartford is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Hartford is 101.

  • The Health index in Hartford is 102.

  • The Housing index in Hartford is 95.

  • The Transportation index in Hartford is 96.

  • The Utilities index in Hartford is 126.

Living Expense Hartford Connecticut National Average
Overall 103 119 100
Services 109 109 100
Groceries 101 100 100
Health 102 110 100
Housing 95 137 100
Transportation 96 101 100
Utilities 126 131 100
For more reading on cost of living around Connecticut, check out:
Hartford Cost of Living Vs. CT

Hartford, CT Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Connecticut, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Hartford is $198,441.

  • The Median Rent in Hartford is $1,221.

  • The Median Income in Hartford is $45,300.

  • The Home Value To Income in Hartford is 4.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Hartford is 0.32x.

Statistic Hartford Connecticut United States
Median Home Value $198,441 $430,086 $303,400
Median Rent $1,221 $1,431 $1,348
Median Income $45,300 $93,760 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.4x 4.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.32x 0.18x 0.21x
$198,441
Median Home Value
$1,221
Median Rent
$45,300
Median Income

Hartford, CT Costs By Category

Detailed Hartford Services Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Hartford Connecticut
Shampoo $1.42 $1.28
Movie $12.85 $12.13
Bowling $18.33 $18
Haircut $33.78 $24.26
Beauty Salon $58.55 $45.56

Detailed Hartford Groceries Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Hartford Connecticut
Ground Beef $6.23 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.46 $1.57
Milk $4.73 $4.67
Potatoes $4.96 $4.93
Pizza $10.79 $12.09
Beer $10.49 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.65 $3.7

Detailed Hartford Health Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Hartford Connecticut
Optometrist $166.22 $125.68
Doctor $182.5 $135.78
Dentist $127.0 $113.29

Detailed Hartford Transportation Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Hartford Connecticut
Gasoline $3.34 $3.46
Tire Balancing $71.63 $59.92

Detailed Hartford Utilities Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Hartford Connecticut
All Electricity $302.09 $193.99
Phone $185.16 $192.25

Hartford SnackAbility

4
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
8
Affordability
3
Diversity
9.5
Safety
3
Amenities
10
Education
4
Commute
8

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Hartford

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Hartford. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • New Britain, CT has a cost of living index of 104, 1.0x Hartford.

  • West Hartford, CT has a cost of living index of 124, 1.2x Hartford.

  • East Hartford, CT has a cost of living index of 106, 1.0x Hartford.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Hartford
New Britain, CT 73,301 104 1.0x
West Hartford, CT 63,809 124 1.2x
East Hartford, CT 50,798 106 1.0x
Manchester, CT 36,561 105 1.0x
Newington, CT 30,551 114 1.1x
Wethersfield, CT 27,180 113 1.1x
Windsor Locks, CT 12,555 109 1.1x
Kensington, CT 9,936 119 1.2x
Southwood Acres, CT 8,154 113 1.1x
Glastonbury Center, CT 7,860 123 1.2x

Articles About Connecticut

Enjoy The Snack?