Connecticut has a lot of positive qualities, and its downside is not all that bad.
You can live in the city, out in the country, or on the beach here.
There are lots of well-paying jobs too, so you can enjoy all that beauty.
The downside is the high cost of living, brutally cold snowy winters, and high taxes.
If you like good qualities enough to put up with the downside, it can be a great place to live.
Contents
- Pros of Living in Connecticut
- 1. A high standard of living is possible in Connecticut with a lot of high-paying jobs
- 2. You have a lot of options when it comes to living in Connecticut, which may be surprising because it is not a big state
- 3. There are solid opportunities for education and self-development
- 4. There are four distinct seasons and all kinds of weather
- 5. There are a lot of outdoor activities to enjoy as well
- 6. It is easy to get around the state
- 7. There is a small-town feel in much of the state, and that lends itself to a low crime rate
- 8. Connecticut is known for its great seafood, and there are a lot of outdoor dining opportunities along the coast
- Cons of Living in Connecticut
- 1. There is a high tax burden to support the state
- 2. Higher taxes are just the start of the higher cost of living in Connecticut
- 3. Connecticut winters can be very harsh, much like the rest of New England
- 4. Traffic is often a problem in all parts of the state
- 5. Income inequity is also an issue in the state
- 6. While taxes are already high, the state is considering even more by adding tolls to roadways
- 7. While the crime rate is low for the state overall, the larger cities have been seeing an increase in crime in recent years
- 8. A lot of jobs seem to be leaving the state
- Pros and Cons of Living in Connecticut – Summary Table
- Connecticut Safety Overview
- Frequently Asked Questions
Pros of Living in Connecticut
1. A high standard of living is possible in Connecticut with a lot of high-paying jobs
It has a median income of $74,000, which is the fifth-highest in the nation.
The average individual income is $106,000, which is the second-highest in the nation.
It led the nation in per capita income in 2019.
Even lower-paying jobs are often OK, as the minimum wage is 25 percent higher than the national average.
Some of the largest companies in the world call Connecticut home, so finding those good jobs may not be all that hard.
2. You have a lot of options when it comes to living in Connecticut, which may be surprising because it is not a big state
There is a nice beach area, with small beach towns filled with charm.
There are several rural areas that also have small towns that are typical of New England.
You may also choose a farm to live in a rural area.
Many of those areas have low crime rates and lots of opportunities.
You may also opt for a more urban lifestyle if you choose.
3. There are solid opportunities for education and self-development
Public schools, grades K-12, are ranked among the best in the nation.
There are also a lot of colleges, including places like Yale and the University of Connecticut, where education can continue.
Even if you are beyond college age, there are still many educational opportunities through a strong community college system.
4. There are four distinct seasons and all kinds of weather
New England is famous for its fall foliage, and Connecticut has a large share of that.
The turning leaves put on a dramatic display that is unmatched.
Summers are mild but there may be a few days that are hot.
Winters can be harsh and there is a lot of snow, but there is beauty there as well.
Spring brings relief from winter, with a lot of cool and rainy days.
5. There are a lot of outdoor activities to enjoy as well
There are numerous state parks.
The state has a lot of rolling hills, and a few mountains to explore.
There are forests as well, with many trails for hiking.
Part of the Appalachian Trail goes through the state.
There is also skiing, both downhill and cross country.
Other outdoor opportunities include cycling, boating, fishing, hunting, sledding, and swimming.
You can also spend a day just relaxing on the beach doing plenty of nothing.
6. It is easy to get around the state
There is a good rail system, and Amtrak is a big part of that system.
You can get from town to town easily, as well as get around inside various cities.
There are four interstates that go through the state, so getting anywhere in your car is relatively easy as well.
The infrastructure is sound as far as transportation goes.
It is also centrally located, with major cities like New York and Boston within easy reach.
7. There is a small-town feel in much of the state, and that lends itself to a low crime rate
While there is a crime in the big cities, much of the state is safe.
There are two violent crimes per 1,000 people, which is half the national average.
Property crime is about 20 per 1,000, which is significantly below the national average, but a little over half.
The good crime rate has been getting even better in recent years.
Other than certain areas in larger cities, people generally feel safe in Connecticut.
8. Connecticut is known for its great seafood, and there are a lot of outdoor dining opportunities along the coast
Add to that a local tradition of wineries and micro-breweries, and you have some outstanding dining opportunities.
There are 25 wineries that make up a trail that needs to be experienced.
Relaxing with great food and drink adds to the charm that is already part of the Connecticut culture.
Cons of Living in Connecticut
1. There is a high tax burden to support the state
It has one of the highest tax burdens in the nation at 12.6 percent.
There is also a state income tax and a high sales tax.
Property taxes are about double the national average.
While Connecticut has a lot of charm that attracts people, the high taxes cause some to leave the state.
Taxes have also influenced some businesses to leave the state, and they take employees with them.
2. Higher taxes are just the start of the higher cost of living in Connecticut
You can make a good income here, but you will need it to survive.
The average home costs $245,000 and renting a house costs an average of $1,800 per month.
It costs more when you are near New York City, but even the rural areas have high prices.
Housing has increased just over one percent per year over the last 10 years.
Prices are high for just about everything in the state.
In 2022, Connecticut was ranked as the seventh most expensive state in the nation.
3. Connecticut winters can be very harsh, much like the rest of New England
The average temperature in winter in Hartford, for example, is 20 degrees.
There can be as much as three feet of snow in a major snowstorm, and there may be a few of them each winter.
There may be snow on the ground from three to five months each year.
You will have to shovel snow if you live in a house.
When people move out of the state it is often because of the cold winters.
4. Traffic is often a problem in all parts of the state
Even with high taxes, roads and bridges are deteriorating faster than they can be repaired.
The level of traffic makes that worse.
Being between Boston and New York City has its advantages, but it makes traffic much worse.
Roads are not in great shape and there are too many cars out there.
People in Connecticut also have a reputation for being rude drivers.
Even in small towns, there are traffic jams.
5. Income inequity is also an issue in the state
There are a lot of good-paying jobs and a to of people have a high income.
There are also a lot of people at the other end of the spectrum, especially in the bigger cities.
Over the last two decades, the income of the bottom 20 percent has gotten even worse, falling nearly 10 percent.
The income of the top 20 percent has risen about 17 percent, making the disparity even greater.
Those in the middle have had only a slight increase in income.
6. While taxes are already high, the state is considering even more by adding tolls to roadways
The state is considering this to raise money to improve infrastructure.
The problem has been the state’s habit of taking money from road programs and using it in other areas, and the highway infrastructure has suffered as a result.
A recently passed amendment will prevent the diversion of funds in the future, but if tolls are added, the tax burden will be even greater.
7. While the crime rate is low for the state overall, the larger cities have been seeing an increase in crime in recent years
In 2021, Harford had a 61 percent increase in homicides, and New Haven‘s rate went up 37 percent.
There was an increase in car thefts in 2020 nationwide, and it was even more pronounced in Connecticut.
There was a 40 percent increase in Connecticut, compared to the national average of a 12 percent increase.
8. A lot of jobs seem to be leaving the state
Citing high taxes, several large corporations have left the state.
Even so, there are still a lot of jobs available, but some of the higher-paying ones have left.
The unemployment rate is about six percent, higher than the national average of four percent.
Connecticut has lost about 100,000 jobs since 2020 before the pandemic began.
Pros and Cons of Living in Connecticut – Summary Table
| Pros of Living in Connecticut | Cons of Living in Connecticut |
|---|---|
| 1. A high standard of living is possible in Connecticut with a lot of high-paying jobs | 1. There is a high tax burden to support the state |
| 2. You have a lot of options when it comes to living in Connecticut, which may be surprising because it is not a big state | 2. Higher taxes are just the start of the higher cost of living in Connecticut |
| 3. There are solid opportunities for education and self-development | 3. Connecticut winters can be very harsh, much like the rest of New England |
| 4. There are four distinct seasons and all kinds of weather | 4. Traffic is often a problem in all parts of the state |
| 5. There are a lot of outdoor activities to enjoy as well | 5. Income inequity is also an issue in the state |
| 6. It is easy to get around the state | 6. While taxes are already high, the state is considering even more by adding tolls to roadways |
| 7. There is a small-town feel in much of the state, and that lends itself to a low crime rate | 7. While the crime rate is low for the state overall, the larger cities have been seeing an increase in crime in recent years |
| 8. Connecticut is known for its great seafood, and there are a lot of outdoor dining opportunities along the coast | 8. A lot of jobs seem to be leaving the state |
Connecticut Safety Overview
READ THE FULL REPORT: Connecticut Safety Review
Safety Index:
- OVERALL RISK: LOW
- TRANSPORT & TAXIS RISK: LOW
- PICKPOCKETS RISK: LOW
- NATURAL DISASTERS RISK: LOW
- MUGGING RISK: LOW
- TERRORISM RISK: LOW
- SCAMS RISK: LOW
- WOMEN TRAVELERS RISK: LOW
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the worst thing about living in Connecticut?
It is probably a tie between harsh winters and high taxes.
Winters have always been harsh there, but high taxes are a more recent development.
Income, sales, fuel, and just about everything else have a high tax rate.
While some states are eliminating things like income tax or sales tax, there seems to be no relief on the tax burden in Connecticut.
What is the best thing about Connecticut?
The small-town feel to most of the state is the best thing about living in Connecticut.
There are a lot of small towns, even though there are a lot of people in the state.
Small towns generally are safer than big towns and that is also true in this state.
Even in small towns, you are not far from a big city anywhere in Connecticut.
Huge cities like New York or Boston are also within easy driving distance.
Is the crime rate really rising in Connecticut?
The state has one of the lowest crime rates in the nation, but there has been an uptick in recent years.
There may be more crime, but part of this has to do with how statistics work.
If there is a low crime rate, even a small increase will show a high percentage.
In Hartford, for example, there was a 60 percent increase in homicides, but that was an increase of only about 10 which made the percentage go up a lot.
How much snow does Connecticut get?
Overall, the state averages 37 inches of snow per year, which is far above the national average of 25.
The towns of Canton and Granby average a whopping 60 inches of snow each year.
No matter where you live in the state, you will have to contend with a lot of snow.
How densely populated is Connecticut?
Connecticut is the fourth-most densely populated state in the nation, with the top five being New England states.
Connecticut has 732 people per square mile.
CT is a great state to live in, the only problem with it really is the cold weather in the wintertime.
Connecticut offers a lot of great opportunities for education, outdoor activities, and a high standard of living.