Shelton, CT Cost Of Living

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

Cost Of Living In Shelton, CT Summary

Cost of living in Shelton 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 Shelton 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 Shelton is 131, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Shelton is 1.3x higher than the national average.

  • Shelton ranks as the #47 cheapest in Connecticut out of 56.

  • Shelton ranks as the #5,035 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Shelton is $543,548.

  • The median income in Shelton is $114,739.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
131
Shelton's Overall Cost Of Living
1.3x
Higher Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Shelton, CT?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Shelton has an overall cost of living index of 131, which is 1.3x higher than the national index of 100.

Compared to Connecticut, Shelton has a cost of living index that's 1.1x higher than Connecticut's index of 119.

The standard of living in Shelton ranks as #47 most affordable out of the 56 places we measured in Connecticut. By definition, that implies Shelton ranks as the #9 most expensive place in the Constitution State.

For more reading on life in Shelton, check out:

47 out of 56
In Connecticut
5,035 out of 6,489
In America

Shelton Cost Of Living Vs. Connecticut

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

  • The Services index in Shelton is 109.

  • The Groceries index in Shelton is 97.

  • The Health index in Shelton is 111.

  • The Housing index in Shelton is 173.

  • The Transportation index in Shelton is 101.

  • The Utilities index in Shelton is 135.

Living Expense Shelton Connecticut National Average
Overall 131 119 100
Services 109 109 100
Groceries 97 100 100
Health 111 110 100
Housing 173 137 100
Transportation 101 101 100
Utilities 135 131 100
For more reading on cost of living around Connecticut, check out:
Shelton Cost of Living Vs. CT

Shelton, 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 Shelton is $543,548.

  • The Median Rent in Shelton is $1,661.

  • The Median Income in Shelton is $114,739.

  • The Home Value To Income in Shelton is 4.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Shelton is 0.17x.

Statistic Shelton Connecticut United States
Median Home Value $543,548 $430,086 $303,400
Median Rent $1,661 $1,431 $1,348
Median Income $114,739 $93,760 $78,538
Home Value To Income 4.7x 4.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.18x 0.21x
$543,548
Median Home Value
$1,661
Median Rent
$114,739
Median Income

Shelton, CT Costs By Category

Detailed Shelton Services Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Shelton Connecticut
Shampoo $1.47 $1.28
Movie $15.07 $12.13
Bowling $24.0 $18
Haircut $39.78 $24.26
Beauty Salon $69.0 $45.56

Detailed Shelton Groceries Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Shelton Connecticut
Ground Beef $6.28 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.59 $1.57
Milk $4.83 $4.67
Potatoes $5.03 $4.93
Pizza $13.21 $12.09
Beer $10.53 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.86 $3.7

Detailed Shelton Health Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Shelton Connecticut
Optometrist $134.7 $125.68
Doctor $162.26 $135.78
Dentist $136.03 $113.29

Detailed Shelton Transportation Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Shelton Connecticut
Gasoline $3.47 $3.46
Tire Balancing $63.33 $59.92

Detailed Shelton Utilities Costs Vs. Connecticut

Item Shelton Connecticut
All Electricity $296.64 $193.99
Phone $185.16 $192.25

Shelton SnackAbility

9
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
8.5/10
Housing
9
Affordability
8
Diversity
8
Safety
8.5
Amenities
8.5
Education
8.5
Commute
6

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Shelton

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

  • Bridgeport, CT has a cost of living index of 108, 0.8x Shelton.

  • New Haven, CT has a cost of living index of 110, 0.8x Shelton.

  • West Haven, CT has a cost of living index of 112, 0.9x Shelton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Shelton
Bridgeport, CT 148,012 108 0.8x
New Haven, CT 132,893 110 0.8x
West Haven, CT 55,147 112 0.9x
East Haven, CT 27,729 115 0.9x
North Haven, CT 24,177 124 0.9x
Ansonia, CT 18,951 110 0.8x
Wallingford Center, CT 18,107 114 0.9x
Orange, CT 14,251 136 1.0x
Derby, CT 12,359 112 0.9x
Bethel, CT 11,606 125 1.0x

Articles About Connecticut

Enjoy The Snack?