Cost of living in New Haven: rent, homes and salary
Prices here sit 4.6% above the US average, and that is what the cost of living in New Haven shows. For the New Haven, CT metro area, the 2024 BEA regional price parity (RPP) is 104.6, with the US at 100 and housing alone at 124.3.
- Prices in general
- 104.6US = 100, BEA 2024
- The price level for housing
- US = 100. Rents, 124.3.
Cost of living index for New Haven
With the US average set at 100, a regional price parity shows what the same goods and services cost in one place, measured against that average. BEA prices the whole New Haven, CT metro area as one, and New Haven sits inside it. Utilities are furthest from the US average, at 144.8, or 44.8% above the US.
| Price level, US = 100 | New Haven, CT metro | Connecticut | Metro against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 104.6 | 103.6 | +4.6% |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.3 | −2.7% |
| Housing (rents) | 124.3 | 117.0 | +24.3% |
| Utilities | 144.8 | 146.5 | +44.8% |
| Other services | 102.7 | 102.7 | +2.7% |
Regional price parities for metro areas and states, 2024, published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA). BEA regional price parities
New Haven rent
Homes listed now in New Haven carry a typical asking rent of $1,972 a month, which ZORI (Zillow Observed Rent Index) puts at +1.7% on a year. In the US, the figure is $1,932. According to the Census, median gross rent is $1,574; that figure counts every renting household, not just new leases. One year of the asking rent equals 40% of the median household income.
| Rent | New Haven | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical asking rent, Zillow ZORI | $1,972 | $1,932 |
| Asking rent, 12-month change | +1.7% | |
| Median gross rent, Census ACS 2024 | $1,574 | $1,487 |
| Share of median income that one year of asking rent takes | 40% | 28% |
Zillow Observed Rent Index, plus one-year estimates from the Census Bureau American Community Survey 2024.
New Haven home prices
The Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI) puts the value of a typical New Haven home at $337,417 in September 2026. It measures what a home placed in the middle of the market is worth. The yearly change is +6.5%, while the US figure is $366,157. That equals 5.7 years of median household income, compared with 4.5 in the US.
| Home prices | New Haven | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value, September 2026 | $337,417 | $366,157 |
| 12-month change | +6.5% | +1.2% |
| 10-year change | +97.1% | +77.4% |
| Price to income (years of median income) | 5.7 | 4.5 |
| Price to rent (years of asking rent) | 14.3 | 15.8 |
Days on market, the forecast, and the price chart since 2000: New Haven housing market data.
What salary you need to live in New Haven
The New Haven salary that matches what your pay buys now comes down to two things: where you live, plus what you earn.
- Moving from
- Salary
How the method works, with every city side by side: city cost of living comparison.
Moving to New Haven? Compare moving quotes on Moving.com, a mover-quote service; we are not paid for this link.
Cost of living in New Haven vs other cities
| City | Prices in general | Housing | Typical rent figure | Home value, typical |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Haven | 104.6 | 124.3 | $1,972 | $337,417 |
| Hartford | 102.7 | 110.2 | $1,555 | $202,489 |
| New York City | 112.6 | 148.6 | $4,089 | $825,854 |
| Los Angeles | 113.6 | 170.4 | $2,772 | $927,891 |
| Chicago | 103.6 | 112.0 | $2,311 | $334,108 |
| Houston | 98.6 | 104.5 | $1,544 | $259,465 |
| Phoenix | 103.3 | 121.2 | $1,571 | $404,067 |
| Philadelphia | 102.6 | 113.1 | $1,757 | $231,584 |
| San Antonio | 94.7 | 94.6 | $1,381 | $244,623 |
Price levels: 2024 regional price parities from BEA, US = 100. Rent comes from Zillow ZORI. Home values come from Zillow ZHVI, September 2026.
All cities ranked: cost of living by city. Every state: cost of living, state by state.