Hartford vs Waterbury
Hartford, Connecticut versus Waterbury, Connecticut: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Hartford and Waterbury score about the same overall (40 vs 39 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Hartford | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $42k | $51k |
| Cost of Living | $55k | $61k |
| Home Value | $199k | $163k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.20% | 3.18% |
| Income Tax | 6.90% | 6.90% |
| Sales Tax | 6.35% | 6.35% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 19.45% | 19.07% |
| Unemployment | 10.6% | 9.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 29°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 75°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.8 in | 52.6 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 51.7 in | 46.8 in |
| Sunny Days | 185 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 91 days | 96 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 58.5 | 43.9 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 100.0 | 91.4 |
| Violent Crime | 1646/100k | 2184/100k |
| Property Crime | 2499/100k | 2879/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 121,057 | 114,480 |
| Median Age | 33.1 | 36.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.74 | 0.69 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.92 | 0.93 |
| Political Leaning | D+25 | D+16 |
| White (%) | 14.9% | 30.4% |
| Black (%) | 34.0% | 25.5% |
| Hispanic (%) | 46.1% | 35.9% |
| Asian (%) | 2.1% | 2.9% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 5.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 22 min | 28 min |
| Walkability | 8.5/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 12 mi | 31 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.3% | 78.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 26.76 | 6.99 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Good |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Hartford or Waterbury more affordable?
- Hartford has the lower cost of living: its index is $55k, compared with Hartford's $55k and Waterbury's $61k. Median rent is $1k in Hartford versus $1k in Waterbury.
- Is Hartford or Waterbury safer?
- Hartford has the lower violent crime rate. Hartford reports 1646/100k and Waterbury reports 2184/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Hartford or Waterbury?
- The median home value is $199k in Hartford and $163k in Waterbury, so homes are more affordable in Waterbury.