Residential comparison · 13 facts
Hartford, CT vs Waterbury, CT
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Hartford needs about $82,500 in Waterbury to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Waterbury, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $87,500 in Hartford.
A few differences
- Waterbury is higher on median household income ($51,886 vs $46,411).
- Waterbury is lower on cost of living index (93 vs 96).
- Waterbury is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($1,264/mo vs $1,344/mo).
Hartford vs Waterbury · facet by facet
| Facet | Hartford, CT | Waterbury, CT |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $228,600 | $208,500 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $1,344/mo | $1,264/mo |
| Property tax rate | 1.8% | 1.8% |
| State & local income tax | 3.91% | 3.91% |
| Sales tax | 6.35% | 6.35% |
| Cost of living index | 96 | 93 |
| Groceries index | 106 | 106 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $46,411 | $51,886 |
| Unemployment rate | 4% | 4% |
| Crime index | 27/100 | 27/100 |
| School rating | 7.8/10 | 7.8/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 180 days | 180 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Hartford, CT · Waterbury, CT
Questions & answers
- Is Hartford cheaper than Waterbury?
- Waterbury has the lower day-to-day cost index (93 vs 96 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Waterbury equals $85,000 in Hartford?
- A household earning $85,000 in Hartford needs about $82,500 in Waterbury to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Waterbury lifestyle costs about $87,500 in Hartford.