Connecticut vs New York: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in Connecticut or New York?
- Overall, New York is 4.2% more expensive than Connecticut (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Connecticut works out to about $78,100 in New York, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is everyday costs rather than housing: goods are 10.2% higher and other services 1.4% higher in New York, while housing is 4.4% higher.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $64,153 in New York and $74,254 in Connecticut (13.6% lower in New York; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 87.7 in Watertown, NY to 112.6 in New York, NY (New York) and from 99.8 in Waterbury, CT to 106.9 in Bridgeport, CT (Connecticut), US = 100.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (5.3%).
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities and real personal income by state. Statewide averages mix cities and rural areas; taxes are not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both states against the US average (100).
Everyday costs, not housing, drive the gap between Connecticut and New York
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Connecticut
- New York
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Connecticut | New York | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.6 | 107.9 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 107.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 117.0 | 122.2 |
| Utilities | 146.5 | 134.4 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 104.1 |
| Category | Connecticut | New York | New York vs Connecticut |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.6 | 107.9 | +4.2% |
| Goods | 97.3 | 107.3 | +10.2% |
| Housing (rents) | 117.0 | 122.2 | +4.4% |
| Utilities | 146.5 | 134.4 | −8.3% |
| Other services | 102.7 | 104.1 | +1.4% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $74,254 | $64,153 | −13.6% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $4.25 | $4.31 | +1.5% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Connecticut | $75,000 | $78,100 | +4.2% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Income: BEA real personal income per person, 2017 dollars. Gas: EIA weekly retail prices. *New England region average (EIA has no separate Connecticut figure).
Cheapest and most expensive places in each state
Connecticut
- Waterbury, CT 99.8
- Norwich, CT 100.4
- Hartford, CT 102.7
- New Haven, CT 104.6
- Bridgeport, CT 106.9
New York
- Watertown, NY 87.7
- Utica, NY 92.7
- Binghamton, NY 92.9
- Elmira, NY 94.4
- Glens Falls, NY 94.9
- Syracuse, NY 95.7
- Buffalo, NY 95.8
- Rochester, NY 97.0
- Albany, NY 99.6
- Kingston, NY 100.7
- Ithaca, NY 103.3
- Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY 109.4
- New York, NY 112.6
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Connecticut and New York has widened since 2008: 0.9 points then, 4.3 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Connecticut
- New York
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Connecticut | New York | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 110.5 | 111.4 |
| 2009 | 110.7 | 111.0 |
| 2010 | 107.0 | 109.7 |
| 2011 | 107.8 | 110.8 |
| 2012 | 107.6 | 109.6 |
| 2013 | 107.7 | 109.7 |
| 2014 | 107.0 | 108.9 |
| 2015 | 107.5 | 109.6 |
| 2016 | 107.5 | 110.1 |
| 2017 | 107.2 | 110.0 |
| 2018 | 104.0 | 109.5 |
| 2019 | 103.9 | 109.4 |
| 2020 | 105.1 | 110.1 |
| 2021 | 102.9 | 109.6 |
| 2022 | 106.4 | 107.6 |
| 2023 | 104.2 | 107.8 |
| 2024 | 103.6 | 107.9 |
Goods
- Connecticut
- New York
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Connecticut | New York | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 109.6 | 112.1 |
| 2009 | 108.7 | 109.5 |
| 2010 | 103.6 | 108.2 |
| 2011 | 103.8 | 107.9 |
| 2012 | 104.6 | 108.6 |
| 2013 | 104.3 | 107.4 |
| 2014 | 103.4 | 107.7 |
| 2015 | 103.2 | 108.1 |
| 2016 | 103.6 | 108.0 |
| 2017 | 104.4 | 108.3 |
| 2018 | 101.4 | 106.8 |
| 2019 | 98.7 | 105.1 |
| 2020 | 99.0 | 105.7 |
| 2021 | 97.0 | 101.7 |
| 2022 | 101.1 | 104.4 |
| 2023 | 98.6 | 105.1 |
| 2024 | 97.3 | 107.3 |
Housing (rents)
- Connecticut
- New York
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Connecticut | New York | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 131.4 | 130.9 |
| 2009 | 137.0 | 133.0 |
| 2010 | 129.0 | 135.2 |
| 2011 | 129.7 | 137.1 |
| 2012 | 131.5 | 136.2 |
| 2013 | 129.6 | 136.0 |
| 2014 | 127.7 | 135.8 |
| 2015 | 132.5 | 134.3 |
| 2016 | 127.4 | 133.7 |
| 2017 | 121.4 | 131.0 |
| 2018 | 122.2 | 130.0 |
| 2019 | 118.0 | 129.3 |
| 2020 | 123.2 | 132.3 |
| 2021 | 120.9 | 131.5 |
| 2022 | 119.8 | 124.7 |
| 2023 | 116.6 | 122.0 |
| 2024 | 117.0 | 122.2 |
Utilities
- Connecticut
- New York
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Connecticut | New York | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 154.5 | 147.6 |
| 2009 | 157.1 | 145.8 |
| 2010 | 146.7 | 140.7 |
| 2011 | 138.3 | 138.3 |
| 2012 | 135.1 | 131.7 |
| 2013 | 134.2 | 133.8 |
| 2014 | 135.6 | 130.4 |
| 2015 | 139.1 | 123.2 |
| 2016 | 142.8 | 124.5 |
| 2017 | 144.6 | 128.6 |
| 2018 | 140.7 | 135.4 |
| 2019 | 143.4 | 133.7 |
| 2020 | 159.9 | 138.7 |
| 2021 | 146.5 | 137.9 |
| 2022 | 140.0 | 129.7 |
| 2023 | 153.2 | 135.4 |
| 2024 | 146.5 | 134.4 |
Other services
- Connecticut
- New York
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Connecticut | New York | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 104.6 | 104.9 |
| 2009 | 104.1 | 105.0 |
| 2010 | 102.3 | 103.4 |
| 2011 | 103.9 | 105.3 |
| 2012 | 102.7 | 103.3 |
| 2013 | 103.6 | 104.1 |
| 2014 | 103.2 | 102.7 |
| 2015 | 103.3 | 104.4 |
| 2016 | 104.0 | 105.4 |
| 2017 | 104.4 | 105.6 |
| 2018 | 100.2 | 105.5 |
| 2019 | 102.3 | 106.4 |
| 2020 | 102.4 | 105.9 |
| 2021 | 100.8 | 107.9 |
| 2022 | 104.9 | 104.3 |
| 2023 | 103.0 | 104.9 |
| 2024 | 102.7 | 104.1 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $64,153 in New York, $74,254 in Connecticut
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- Connecticut
- New York
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| Connecticut | New York | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $61,522 | $48,288 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $60,598 | $47,614 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $63,477 | $48,971 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $63,006 | $49,428 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $62,569 | $50,848 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $60,162 | $50,375 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $62,123 | $51,614 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $63,396 | $53,180 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $64,086 | $54,091 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $64,637 | $56,690 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $68,121 | $57,594 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $69,091 | $58,786 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $70,018 | $61,253 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $73,422 | $64,085 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $69,250 | $62,106 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $71,915 | $63,093 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $74,254 | $64,153 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in Connecticut
- Cost of living in New York
- Reverse: moving from New York to Connecticut
- All states ranked
Related state comparisons
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State income, sales and property taxes differ a lot between states and are not included.
- Where you live inside the state. Statewide figures average cities and rural areas; the metro lists above show the spread.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider if housing is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels and incomes are for 2024; gas prices are weekly.