Before you decide to relocate to Connecticut, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in Connecticut that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2018-2022 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 54 places in Connecticut with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Connecticut for 2024.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Connecticut For 2024
What’s the most expensive place to live in Connecticut? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Old Greenwich is the most expensive place to live in Connecticut.
Willimantic (the cheapest place to live in Connecticut) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Connecticut and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Connecticut For 2024
/10
Population: 7,060
Cost Of Living Index: 270
Median Income: $240,417
Average Home Price: $1,924,063
Home Price To Income Ratio: 8.0x
More on Old Greenwich: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Old Greenwich is 270. The median income in Old Greenwich comes in at $240,417 and the average home value is $1,924,063 for 2024.
/10
Population: 9,093
Cost Of Living Index: 242
Median Income: $250,001
Average Home Price: $1,918,050
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.7x
More on Riverside: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Riverside is 242. The median income in Riverside comes in at $250,001 and the average home value is $1,918,050 for 2024.
/10
Population: 7,243
Cost Of Living Index: 213
Median Income: $185,125
Average Home Price: $1,342,010
Home Price To Income Ratio: 7.2x
More on Cos Cob: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Cos Cob is 213. The median income in Cos Cob comes in at $185,125 and the average home value is $1,342,010 for 2024.
/10
Population: 14,051
Cost Of Living Index: 211
Median Income: $128,839
Average Home Price: $1,939,194
Home Price To Income Ratio: 15.1x
More on Greenwich: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Greenwich is 211. The median income in Greenwich comes in at $128,839 and the average home value is $1,939,194 for 2024.
/10
Population: 7,655
Cost Of Living Index: 174
Median Income: $139,490
Average Home Price: $850,190
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.1x
More on Ridgefield: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Ridgefield is 174. The median income in Ridgefield comes in at $139,490 and the average home value is $850,190 for 2024.
/10
Population: 135,413
Cost Of Living Index: 156
Median Income: $100,718
Average Home Price: $611,989
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.1x
More on Stamford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Stamford is 156. The median income in Stamford comes in at $100,718 and the average home value is $611,989 for 2024.
/10
Population: 91,050
Cost Of Living Index: 143
Median Income: $97,879
Average Home Price: $560,154
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.7x
More on Norwalk: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Norwalk is 143. The median income in Norwalk comes in at $97,879 and the average home value is $560,154 for 2024.
/10
Population: 14,231
Cost Of Living Index: 138
Median Income: $138,514
Average Home Price: $554,284
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.0x
More on Orange: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Orange is 138. The median income in Orange comes in at $138,514 and the average home value is $554,284 for 2024.
/10
Population: 41,206
Cost Of Living Index: 131
Median Income: $112,366
Average Home Price: $484,367
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.3x
More on Shelton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in Shelton is 131. The median income in Shelton comes in at $112,366 and the average home value is $484,367 for 2024.
/10
Population: 24,179
Cost Of Living Index: 127
Median Income: $121,250
Average Home Price: $405,967
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.3x
More on North Haven: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
The overall cost of living in North Haven is 127. The median income in North Haven comes in at $121,250 and the average home value is $405,967 for 2024.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Constitution State For 2024
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Connecticut are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2018-2022 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Connecticut to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 54 places in Connecticut that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Connecticut according to the data is Old Greenwich. We updated this article for 2024. This article is our tenth time ranking the most expensive places to live in Connecticut.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Connecticut For 2024
Well, there you have it, the places in Connecticut that have the highest cost of living, with Old Greenwich ranking as the most expensive city in the Constitution State.
The most expensive cities in Connecticut are Old Greenwich, Riverside, Cos Cob, Greenwich, Ridgefield, Stamford, Norwalk, Orange, Shelton, and North Haven.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Connecticut according to the data:
- Willimantic
- Winsted
- New Britain
For more Connecticut reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Connecticut
- Cheapest Places To Live In Connecticut
- Most Dangerous Cities In Connecticut
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Connecticut
- Safest Places In Connecticut
- Worst Places To Live In Connecticut
Most Expensive Cities In Connecticut
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Old Greenwich | 270 | 7,060 | $240,417 | $1,924,063 | 8.0x |
| 2 | Riverside | 242 | 9,093 | $250,001 | $1,918,050 | 7.7x |
| 3 | Cos Cob | 213 | 7,243 | $185,125 | $1,342,010 | 7.2x |
| 4 | Greenwich | 211 | 14,051 | $128,839 | $1,939,194 | 15.1x |
| 5 | Ridgefield | 174 | 7,655 | $139,490 | $850,190 | 6.1x |
| 6 | Stamford | 156 | 135,413 | $100,718 | $611,989 | 6.1x |
| 7 | Norwalk | 143 | 91,050 | $97,879 | $560,154 | 5.7x |
| 8 | Orange | 138 | 14,231 | $138,514 | $554,284 | 4.0x |
| 9 | Shelton | 131 | 41,206 | $112,366 | $484,367 | 4.3x |
| 10 | North Haven | 127 | 24,179 | $121,250 | $405,967 | 3.3x |
| 11 | Danbury | 126 | 86,456 | $79,983 | $431,374 | 5.4x |
| 12 | Bethel | 126 | 11,551 | $79,500 | $491,015 | 6.2x |
| 13 | West Hartford | 125 | 64,088 | $124,150 | $423,572 | 3.4x |
| 14 | Simsbury Center | 125 | 6,110 | $120,435 | $412,636 | 3.4x |
| 15 | Branford Center | 124 | 6,201 | $76,500 | $332,820 | 4.4x |
| 16 | Cheshire Village | 123 | 5,879 | $107,577 | $448,004 | 4.2x |
| 17 | Glastonbury Center | 122 | 7,959 | $104,557 | $425,486 | 4.1x |
| 18 | Wallingford Center | 119 | 18,738 | $83,618 | $331,641 | 4.0x |
| 19 | Storrs | 117 | 17,606 | $27,793 | $367,128 | 13.2x |
| 20 | Kensington | 117 | 9,580 | $99,423 | $341,309 | 3.4x |
| 21 | Newington | 116 | 30,458 | $100,239 | $311,580 | 3.1x |
| 22 | East Haven | 116 | 27,871 | $83,489 | $305,502 | 3.7x |
| 23 | New Milford | 115 | 7,095 | $70,625 | $412,440 | 5.8x |
| 24 | Pawcatuck | 115 | 5,570 | $70,927 | $371,844 | 5.2x |
| 25 | New Haven | 114 | 135,736 | $54,305 | $279,194 | 5.1x |
| 26 | Ansonia | 114 | 18,954 | $67,474 | $318,783 | 4.7x |
| 27 | Middletown | 113 | 48,152 | $75,120 | $302,920 | 4.0x |
| 28 | Wethersfield | 113 | 27,192 | $108,656 | $353,993 | 3.3x |
| 29 | Oakville | 112 | 9,387 | $82,701 | $308,651 | 3.7x |
| 30 | Portland | 112 | 6,417 | $94,923 | $354,774 | 3.7x |
| 31 | Sherwood Manor | 112 | 5,731 | $98,980 | $271,396 | 2.7x |
| 32 | Bridgeport | 111 | 148,470 | $54,440 | $305,486 | 5.6x |
| 33 | West Haven | 111 | 55,336 | $72,827 | $302,368 | 4.2x |
| 34 | Derby | 111 | 12,373 | $69,835 | $294,531 | 4.2x |
| 35 | Windsor Locks | 110 | 12,563 | $85,570 | $281,620 | 3.3x |
| 36 | Southwood Acres | 110 | 7,928 | $101,939 | $276,937 | 2.7x |
| 37 | Hazardville | 110 | 6,123 | $93,486 | $261,847 | 2.8x |
| 38 | Groton | 109 | 9,364 | $64,611 | $374,397 | 5.8x |
| 39 | Bristol | 108 | 61,052 | $82,094 | $286,446 | 3.5x |
| 40 | Naugatuck | 108 | 31,653 | $91,145 | $295,263 | 3.2x |
| 41 | Meriden | 107 | 60,556 | $63,671 | $266,816 | 4.2x |
| 42 | Thompsonville | 107 | 8,097 | $57,662 | $258,192 | 4.5x |
| 43 | Hartford | 106 | 121,057 | $41,841 | $171,873 | 4.1x |
| 44 | Norwich | 106 | 40,054 | $62,713 | $243,007 | 3.9x |
| 45 | Manchester | 106 | 37,015 | $73,265 | $279,308 | 3.8x |
| 46 | Torrington | 106 | 35,510 | $66,616 | $247,430 | 3.7x |
| 47 | New London | 105 | 27,596 | $56,237 | $260,757 | 4.6x |
| 48 | Waterbury | 104 | 114,480 | $51,451 | $232,478 | 4.5x |
| 49 | East Hartford | 104 | 50,942 | $64,244 | $258,022 | 4.0x |
| 50 | Putnam | 104 | 7,207 | $60,539 | $294,924 | 4.9x |
| 51 | Rockville | 103 | 6,951 | $49,823 | $215,396 | 4.3x |
| 52 | New Britain | 102 | 74,212 | $53,766 | $251,760 | 4.7x |
| 53 | Winsted | 102 | 6,880 | $66,250 | $238,921 | 3.6x |
| 54 | Willimantic | 101 | 17,762 | $45,723 | $225,900 | 4.9x |