Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Haven, CT
VS
Pittsburgh, PA
🏆 Pittsburgh leads 19 of 23 categories
New Haven
Connecticut
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.6
Median Household Income
$54,305
Violent Crime Index
141⚠ High
Population
135,736
Pittsburgh
Pennsylvania
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
94.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,187 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
303,843 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Haven, CT
Pros
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Cons
Violent crime (534.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Higher rents — median is $1,402/mo
Property crime (3587.1/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.8% vs 5.7%)
Pittsburgh, PA
Pros
Homes cost $65k less ($171,800 vs $236,500)
20% less violent crime than New Haven
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (5.7%)
Rent averages $249/mo less ($1,153 vs $1,402)
Households earn $5,882 more per year on average
More college-educated — 46.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Snowy winters — about 44" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Pittsburgh
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 94.4 vs 98.6 (100 = US avg)
Pittsburgh
Median Income
$5,882
$60,187 vs $54,305/yr
Pittsburgh
Violent Crime
20% lower
427.2 vs 534.8 per 100k
Pittsburgh
Median Home Value
$65k less
$171,800 vs $236,500
Pittsburgh
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
5.7% vs 7.8% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Haven, CT | Pittsburgh, PA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.6 | 94.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $236,500 | $171,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,402⚠ High | $1,153 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $54,305 | $60,187 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.8%⚠ High | 5.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.7 min ✓ Shorter | 23.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.6% | 17.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 153⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 141⚠ High | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 171⚠ High | 109⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (107) | A- (115) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.0:1 | 11.8:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 38.5% | 46.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 85.7% | 93.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | New Haven School District | Pittsburgh SD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 38.1°F ✓ Warmer | 36.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 82.1°F | 83.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 41.8" | 41.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 33.6" ✓ Less | 44.1" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 135,736 | 303,843 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 31.0 | 33.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 28.6% | 47.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 22.0% ✓ More | 14.6% |
| Over 65 | 10.8% | 15.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Haven's cost of living index is 98.6 vs Pittsburgh's 94.4 (US average = 100).
Pittsburgh is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Pittsburgh leads 19 of 23 categories. New Haven wins 4 and Pittsburgh wins 19. 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 New Haven to Pittsburgh or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($236,500 vs $171,800 median home), income ($54,305 vs $60,187), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Haven, CT and Pittsburgh, PA are about 373 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.