New York vs Connecticut: cost of living compared
Statewide price levels and incomes from BEA (2024); gas prices from EIA (weekly).
Is it cheaper to live in New York or Connecticut?
- Overall, Connecticut is 4.0% less expensive than New York (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in New York works out to about $72,000 in Connecticut, before taxes.
- Most of the difference is everyday costs rather than housing: goods are 9.3% lower and other services 1.4% lower in Connecticut, while housing is 4.2% lower.
- After adjusting for local prices, personal income per person is $74,254 in Connecticut and $64,153 in New York (15.7% higher in Connecticut; BEA, 2024, in 2017 dollars).
- Inside each state, metro price levels run from 99.8 in Waterbury, CT to 106.9 in Bridgeport, CT (Connecticut) and from 87.7 in Watertown, NY to 112.6 in New York, NY (New York), US = 100.
- The gap is about where it was in 2019 (5.0%).
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 New York and Connecticut
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- New York
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| New York | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 107.9 | 103.6 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 97.3 |
| Housing (rents) | 122.2 | 117.0 |
| Utilities | 134.4 | 146.5 |
| Other services | 104.1 | 102.7 |
| Category | New York | Connecticut | Connecticut vs New York |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 107.9 | 103.6 | −4.0% |
| Goods | 107.3 | 97.3 | −9.3% |
| Housing (rents) | 122.2 | 117.0 | −4.2% |
| Utilities | 134.4 | 146.5 | +9.0% |
| Other services | 104.1 | 102.7 | −1.4% |
| Income per person, adjusted for prices | $64,153 | $74,254 | +15.7% |
| Regular gas, week of October 19, 2026* | $4.31 | $4.25 | −1.5% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in New York | $75,000 | $72,000 | −4.0% |
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
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
Connecticut
- Waterbury, CT 99.8
- Norwich, CT 100.4
- Hartford, CT 102.7
- New Haven, CT 104.6
- Bridgeport, CT 106.9
Metro areas ordered from cheapest to most expensive. BEA, 2024, US = 100.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between New York and Connecticut has widened since 2008: 0.9 points then, 4.3 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- New York
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| New York | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 111.4 | 110.5 |
| 2009 | 111.0 | 110.7 |
| 2010 | 109.7 | 107.0 |
| 2011 | 110.8 | 107.8 |
| 2012 | 109.6 | 107.6 |
| 2013 | 109.7 | 107.7 |
| 2014 | 108.9 | 107.0 |
| 2015 | 109.6 | 107.5 |
| 2016 | 110.1 | 107.5 |
| 2017 | 110.0 | 107.2 |
| 2018 | 109.5 | 104.0 |
| 2019 | 109.4 | 103.9 |
| 2020 | 110.1 | 105.1 |
| 2021 | 109.6 | 102.9 |
| 2022 | 107.6 | 106.4 |
| 2023 | 107.8 | 104.2 |
| 2024 | 107.9 | 103.6 |
Goods
- New York
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| New York | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 112.1 | 109.6 |
| 2009 | 109.5 | 108.7 |
| 2010 | 108.2 | 103.6 |
| 2011 | 107.9 | 103.8 |
| 2012 | 108.6 | 104.6 |
| 2013 | 107.4 | 104.3 |
| 2014 | 107.7 | 103.4 |
| 2015 | 108.1 | 103.2 |
| 2016 | 108.0 | 103.6 |
| 2017 | 108.3 | 104.4 |
| 2018 | 106.8 | 101.4 |
| 2019 | 105.1 | 98.7 |
| 2020 | 105.7 | 99.0 |
| 2021 | 101.7 | 97.0 |
| 2022 | 104.4 | 101.1 |
| 2023 | 105.1 | 98.6 |
| 2024 | 107.3 | 97.3 |
Housing (rents)
- New York
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| New York | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 130.9 | 131.4 |
| 2009 | 133.0 | 137.0 |
| 2010 | 135.2 | 129.0 |
| 2011 | 137.1 | 129.7 |
| 2012 | 136.2 | 131.5 |
| 2013 | 136.0 | 129.6 |
| 2014 | 135.8 | 127.7 |
| 2015 | 134.3 | 132.5 |
| 2016 | 133.7 | 127.4 |
| 2017 | 131.0 | 121.4 |
| 2018 | 130.0 | 122.2 |
| 2019 | 129.3 | 118.0 |
| 2020 | 132.3 | 123.2 |
| 2021 | 131.5 | 120.9 |
| 2022 | 124.7 | 119.8 |
| 2023 | 122.0 | 116.6 |
| 2024 | 122.2 | 117.0 |
Utilities
- New York
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| New York | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 147.6 | 154.5 |
| 2009 | 145.8 | 157.1 |
| 2010 | 140.7 | 146.7 |
| 2011 | 138.3 | 138.3 |
| 2012 | 131.7 | 135.1 |
| 2013 | 133.8 | 134.2 |
| 2014 | 130.4 | 135.6 |
| 2015 | 123.2 | 139.1 |
| 2016 | 124.5 | 142.8 |
| 2017 | 128.6 | 144.6 |
| 2018 | 135.4 | 140.7 |
| 2019 | 133.7 | 143.4 |
| 2020 | 138.7 | 159.9 |
| 2021 | 137.9 | 146.5 |
| 2022 | 129.7 | 140.0 |
| 2023 | 135.4 | 153.2 |
| 2024 | 134.4 | 146.5 |
Other services
- New York
- Connecticut
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by state, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| New York | Connecticut | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 104.9 | 104.6 |
| 2009 | 105.0 | 104.1 |
| 2010 | 103.4 | 102.3 |
| 2011 | 105.3 | 103.9 |
| 2012 | 103.3 | 102.7 |
| 2013 | 104.1 | 103.6 |
| 2014 | 102.7 | 103.2 |
| 2015 | 104.4 | 103.3 |
| 2016 | 105.4 | 104.0 |
| 2017 | 105.6 | 104.4 |
| 2018 | 105.5 | 100.2 |
| 2019 | 106.4 | 102.3 |
| 2020 | 105.9 | 102.4 |
| 2021 | 107.9 | 100.8 |
| 2022 | 104.3 | 104.9 |
| 2023 | 104.9 | 103.0 |
| 2024 | 104.1 | 102.7 |
What incomes buy in each state
Income per person after adjusting for prices: $74,254 in Connecticut, $64,153 in New York
Real personal income per person, constant 2017 dollars (adjusted for each state's price level and for inflation).
- New York
- Connecticut
- United States
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, real personal income by state (SARPI), 2008–2024.
Show the numbers
| New York | Connecticut | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2008 | $48,288 | $61,522 | $45,816 |
| 2009 | $47,614 | $60,598 | $44,204 |
| 2010 | $48,971 | $63,477 | $44,808 |
| 2011 | $49,428 | $63,006 | $45,957 |
| 2012 | $50,848 | $62,569 | $46,796 |
| 2013 | $50,375 | $60,162 | $46,358 |
| 2014 | $51,614 | $62,123 | $47,661 |
| 2015 | $53,180 | $63,396 | $49,396 |
| 2016 | $54,091 | $64,086 | $49,828 |
| 2017 | $56,690 | $64,637 | $51,006 |
| 2018 | $57,594 | $68,121 | $52,242 |
| 2019 | $58,786 | $69,091 | $53,683 |
| 2020 | $61,253 | $70,018 | $56,514 |
| 2021 | $64,085 | $73,422 | $59,365 |
| 2022 | $62,106 | $69,250 | $57,104 |
| 2023 | $63,093 | $71,915 | $58,088 |
| 2024 | $64,153 | $74,254 | $59,195 |
More
- Cost of living in New York
- Cost of living in Connecticut
- Reverse: moving from Connecticut to New York
- 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.