Connecticut · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in New Haven, CT

Prices around New Haven, CT run 4.6% above the U.S. average (BEA, the metro area). The typical household there earns $56,851 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $1,969 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $78,760 a year.

New Haven, CT at a glance

Median household income

$56,851$4,738 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$1,969HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)104.6+4.6% · BEA, the metro area
Electricity24.3¢per kWh · EIA Residential CT
Population134,349Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in New Haven, CT?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Moderate cost burden (30–50%)
HUD Fair Market Rent$1,969Monthly market rent
Share of gross income41.6%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$78,760To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,421At 30% of $56,851
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in New Haven, CT? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for New Haven, CT MSA, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in New Haven, CT, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$1,372$16,464$54,88029%
1-Bedroom Apartment$1,591$19,092$63,64033.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$1,969$23,628$78,76041.6%
3-Bedroom Home$2,433$29,196$97,32051.4%
4-Bedroom Home$2,872$34,464$114,88060.6%

Rent in New Haven, CT, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in New Haven, CT

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $56,851 a year ($4,738 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,369/moRent ($1,969 2-BR), utilities (~$219/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,421/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$948/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $56,851 leaves after Connecticut taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Connecticut tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$56,851
$20,000$115,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$56,851
Net 80%
Fed 8%
CT 4%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$45,698After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,808Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,758Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate19.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,642 / yr
Connecticut state income tax$2,162 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,349 / yr

Living in New Haven, CT: common questions

What is the median household income in New Haven, CT?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in New Haven, CT is $56,851 per year (approximately $4,738 per month).

What is the average rent in New Haven, CT?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $1,372 for a studio, $1,591 for one bedroom, $1,969 for two, $2,433 for three and $2,872 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is New Haven, CT expensive to live in?

Prices there run 4.6% above the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for the metro area is 104.6, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in New Haven, CT?

To keep a $1,969 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $78,760 a year, or $6,563 a month. That is 139% of what the typical household in New Haven, CT earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in New Haven, CT?

On the local median income of $56,851 ($4,738 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,369 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,421 for everything else and $948 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $1,969 takes 83% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in New Haven, CT?

Homes in Connecticut paid 24.3¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $219. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.