Cost of Living in Hartford, CT

An Overview of Cost of Living in Hartford, CT

Knowing the cost of living in Hartford allows individuals to create a realistic budget. This helps them understand how their income will cover expenses and whether they need to make financial adjustments. The cost of living in any region can fluctuate due to various factors. To assess the cost of living consistently across different areas, a national average of 100 serves as the basis for the cost of living index. The cost of living in Hartford stands at 104, marking it 4% higher than the national average.

The cost of living in Hartford aligns closely with the national average when compared to other cities across the nation. Everyday essentials such as groceries, goods and services, health care and utility bills are priced at a level consistent with the average in similar urban areas. Hartford residents can anticipate that their daily expenses won't be significantly higher than those in an average city, ensuring that the cost of living remains manageable.

What Do Locals Say About the Cost of Living in Hartford?

When it comes to knowing a city, its residents are the experts. We conducted a survey with 15 locals to understand their opinions on the cost of living in Hartford. The results indicated that 40% found it reasonably priced with decreasing prices of goods and services, while 60% viewed it as quite expensive, with increasing prices.

Is Hartford Affordable?

Is Hartford an affordable place to live? That's a valid question to ask when you're thinking about moving to a new city. After all, how much it costs to live somewhere can be a huge factor in your decision. Affordability can be broken down into 3 common categories. The cost of living index (we talked about it earlier), housing expenses and income levels all play a big role in figuring out if a place is affordable. For instance, in Hartford, the median home price is 7.9% lower than what most folks pay across the country, and monthly rent prices are 5.8% higher than the usual rates. Income levels in Hartford come in at $36,154, which is 34.6% lower than the national average.

What Factors can Influence the Cost of Living in Hartford?

Taxes: Regions that impose higher taxes, including sales and income taxes, can contribute to an increased cost of living. Higher taxes for everyday necessities such as clothing, utilities and food inevitably leads to higher expenditures. Additionally, a higher income tax rate can also play a role in elevating the overall cost of living. In Hartford, the prevailing sales tax rate starts at 6.35%, and income tax rates kick off at 3%.

Subsidies: Some areas might offer government subsidies or assistance programs that help lower cost of living for residents. These programs can include anything from Medicare, Medicaid, housing subsidies, low-income home energy assistance programs, school lunch programs, supplemental nutrition assistance programs, student loans, electric vehicle tax credits, affordable care act subsidies and crop subsidies. Areas that offer less subsidies, could see an increase in their cost of living.

Healthcare: Healthcare expenditures and insurance premium rates can vary significantly, contingent upon the particular city or state. Factors such as the accessibility of healthcare facilities, out-of-pocket expenses for doctor's appointments, dental care charges, prescription medication costs, and expenses related to specialized medical care can all have an impact on the overall cost of living. In Hartford, healthcare costs are 2.8% higher than the national average.

Where is the Data From?

The Hartford cost of living data displayed above is derived from the C2ER cost of living index to provide a useful and reasonably accurate measure of living cost differences in urban areas. Published on a quarterly basis, it compiles data from more than 300 independent researchers, encompassing over 60 goods and services. These items have been meticulously selected to represent various consumer expenditure categories, in 6 categories. Weightings assigned to cost differentials draw from government survey data tracking spending patterns among professional and executive households. While the C2ER index excludes data on sales or income tax rates, AreaVibes incorporates tax rates into the overall cost of living score for each region.