Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Hartford, CT
🏆 Arlington leads 16 of 22 categories
Arlington
Virginia
16
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Hartford
Connecticut
6
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$41,841
Violent Crime Index
136⚠ High
Population
121,057
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $95,546 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 7.8 pts lower (2.8%)
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
51% less violent crime than Hartford
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 37°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Hartford
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Hartford, CT
Pros
Homes cost $634k less ($198,900 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1073/mo less ($1,154 vs $2,227)
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Cooler summers — July highs near 85°F vs 90°F
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $95,546/yr
Violent crime (515.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (2845.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (10.6% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$95,546
$137,387 vs $41,841/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
51% lower
254.4 vs 515.8 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
7.8 pp lower
2.8% vs 10.6% unemployment
Arlington
Summer Heat
5.0°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 84.6°F
Hartford
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 96.1 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Hartford
Median Home Value
$634k less
$198,900 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Hartford, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 96.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $198,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,154 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $41,841 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 10.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 22.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 7.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 136⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 136⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 136⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | C (80) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.3:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 17.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 74.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Hartford School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 36.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 84.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 42.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" ✓ Less | 51.7" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 121,057 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 33.1 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% ✓ Higher | 25.6% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 23.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 11.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Hartford's 96.1 (US average = 100).
Hartford is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Arlington leads 16 of 22 categories. Arlington wins 16 and Hartford wins 6. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Hartford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $198,900 median home), income ($137,387 vs $41,841), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Hartford, CT are about 307 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.