Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
New Haven, CT
🏆 Arlington leads 16 of 23 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
New Haven
Connecticut
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.6 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$54,305
Violent Crime Index
141⚠ High
Population
135,736
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $83,082 more per year on average
52% less violent crime than New Haven
Stronger job market — unemployment is 5.0 pts lower (2.8%)
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 45°F vs 38°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than New Haven
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
New Haven, CT
Pros
Homes cost $597k less ($236,500 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $825/mo less ($1,402 vs $2,227)
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Cooler summers — July highs near 82°F vs 90°F
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $83,082/yr
Violent crime (534.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3587.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.8% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$83,082
$137,387 vs $54,305/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
52% lower
254.4 vs 534.8 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
5.0 pp lower
2.8% vs 7.8% unemployment
Arlington
Summer Heat
7.5°F warmer
July avg high 89.6°F vs 82.1°F
New Haven
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 98.6 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
New Haven
Median Home Value
$597k less
$236,500 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | New Haven, CT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 98.6 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $236,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,402⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $54,305 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 7.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 21.7 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 11.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 153⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 141⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 171⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B+ (107) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 | 12.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 38.5% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 85.7% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | New Haven School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F ✓ Warmer | 38.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F ✓ Warmer | 82.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" | 41.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" ✓ Less | 33.6" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 135,736 |
| Median Age | 35.3 ✓ Older | 31.0 |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% ✓ Higher | 28.6% |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 22.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% ✓ More | 10.8% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs New Haven's 98.6 (US average = 100).
New Haven is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 16 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 16 and New Haven wins 7. 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 New Haven or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $236,500 median home), income ($137,387 vs $54,305), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and New Haven, CT are about 277 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.