Cost of Living in New Haven, Connecticut
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in New Haven, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 138,774
- Median household income
- $59,705
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 104.6
- Unemployment rate
- 11.5%
Is New Haven a good place to live?
New Haven sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 98 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job.
A typical worker in New Haven keeps $7,578 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living5% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,735 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$2,553 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in New Haven
Prices in the New Haven, CT area run 5% above the US average. Utilities is the biggest difference, at 45% above the US average.
- Housing24% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)3% below the US average
- Utilities45% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)3% above the US average
- All items5% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,735 | $20,820 |
| Food | $480 | $5,760 |
| Transportation | $380 | $4,560 |
| Healthcare | $361 | $4,332 |
| Utilities | $377 | $4,524 |
| Total before taxes | $3,333 | $39,996 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | New Haven | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,599 | $1,609 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,735 | $1,743 |
| 2 bedrooms | $2,080 | $2,091 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,589 | $2,602 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,922 | $2,935 |
Living in New Haven
How New Haven compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | New Haven | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $59,705 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $348,900 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,574 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 69.6% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 11.5% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 25.1% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 39.1% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 31.8 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 25.8 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 9.9% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 7.9% | 3.7% |
Home internet
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of New Haven, led by Xfinity, Frontier, T-Mobile, Verizon. Fiber reaches 62.3% of homes and 87.9% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in New Haven
Pros
- Fast home internet. 87.9% of homes can get gigabit speeds (FCC).
Cons
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 11.5%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
- Higher poverty rate. 25.1% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
- Lower incomes. Median household income is $59,705, against $81,604 nationally.
- Higher cost of living. Prices are 5% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
What your job keeps in New Haven
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $60,060
- Federal income tax
- −$5,027
- Payroll taxes
- −$4,895
- State income tax
- −$2,553
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$20,820
- Everyday costs
- −$19,187
a year, or $632 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS New Haven, CT. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the New Haven, CT area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Registered nurse | $104,490 | $36,790 |
| Accountant | $94,960 | $30,680 |
| Police officer | $82,170 | $22,450 |
| Teacher | $81,305 | $21,893 |
| Social worker | $78,062 | $19,806 |
| Licensed practical nurse | $73,820 | $17,077 |
| Truck driver | $61,040 | $8,306 |
| Auto mechanic | $59,760 | $7,355 |
| Medical assistant | $48,400 | −$1,108 |
| Nursing assistant | $45,030 | −$3,647 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in New Haven on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Carpenter $11,808
- Civil engineer $35,641
- Data scientist $47,892
- Dental assistant $5,042
- Dental hygienist $32,746
- Dentist $52,531
- Diesel mechanic $11,354
- Electrician $19,386
- Firefighter $20,654
- HVAC technician $19,045
- Lawyer $75,229
- Lineman $50,966
- Mechanical engineer $37,084
- Nurse practitioner $59,643
- Occupational therapist $35,634
- Paralegal $10,054
- Paramedic $20,693
- Pharmacist $59,897
- Pharmacy technician −$784
- Physical therapist $35,838
- Physician assistant $65,259
- Plumber $19,522
- Project manager $36,292
- Radiologic technologist $31,638
- Respiratory therapist $24,418
- Software engineer $54,794
- Speech-language pathologist $32,521
- Veterinarian $51,411
- Welder $8,744
Compare New Haven with other cities
Compare New Haven with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to New Haven
2 licensed interstate movers are based in New Haven, and 9 more elsewhere in the New Haven, CT area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is New Haven, CT a good place to live?
New Haven sits in the middle for take-home money: a typical worker keeps more here than in 98 of 178 other large cities, so whether it pays off depends on your job. The typical worker here earns $60,060 and keeps $7,578 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in New Haven?
Prices in the New Haven, CT area are 5% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,735 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,599 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in New Haven?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $49,900 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the New Haven, CT area earns $60,060.
What is the average rent in New Haven?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,599 for a studio, $1,735 for a 1-bedroom and $2,080 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in New Haven at $1,574 a month (2024).
Does New Haven have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $60,060, Connecticut state income tax comes to about $2,553 a year. New Haven has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve New Haven?
6 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of New Haven, led by Xfinity, Frontier, T-Mobile, Verizon. 62.3% of homes can get fiber and 87.9% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate