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Is New Haven, CT a Good Place to Live?
New Haven is a mid-sized city of 135,736 in Connecticut, with a median household income of $54,305 and a 7.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 99 (US average = 100), which is 1% below the national average.
Strengths: New Haven stands out for below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B+), a well-educated population, short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether New Haven is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All New Haven city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 98.6New Haven's overall cost of living index is 98.6, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in New Haven costs roughly 1% less than the average American city.
| Metric | New Haven, CT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $236,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,402 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 28.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $54,305 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Higher than AverageNew Haven's violent crime rate is 534.8 per 100,000 residents — 41% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
New Haven is served primarily by New Haven School District. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.0:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | New Haven, CT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | New Haven School District | — |
| Elementary Schools | 27 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 9 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 12.0:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 85.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
New Haven sees average highs of 38.1°F in January and 82.1°F in July, with 41.8 inches of annual precipitation and 33.6 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | New Haven, CT |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 38.1°F |
| Average High — July | 82.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.6" |
Demographics
| Metric | New Haven, CT | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 135,736 | — |
| Median Age | 31.0 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.7 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 41.9% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 29.9% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 19.3% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 5.1% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 22.0% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 10.8% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in New Haven
New Haven, CT is covered by 6 ZIP codes: