Meriden vs New Haven
Meriden, Connecticut versus New Haven, Connecticut: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Meriden and New Haven score about the same overall (40 vs 41 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Meriden | New Haven |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $64k | $54k |
| Cost of Living | $60k | $60k |
| Home Value | $199k | $237k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $15k | $15k |
| Property Tax Rate | 2.43% | 2.56% |
| Income Tax | 6.90% | 6.90% |
| Sales Tax | 6.35% | 6.35% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 16.59% | 20.13% |
| Unemployment | 8.4% | 7.8% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 28°F | 30°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 74°F | 74°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.9 in | 41.8 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 38.6 in | 33.6 in |
| Sunny Days | 185 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 62°F | 64°F |
| Comfortable Days | 94 days | 101 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 46.1 | 34.3 |
| Air Quality | 48 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 86.7 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 2254/100k | 3023/100k |
| Property Crime | 2468/100k | 3109/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 60,556 | 135,736 |
| Median Age | 40.2 | 31.0 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.53 | 0.71 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.94 | 0.89 |
| Political Leaning | D+18 | D+18 |
| White (%) | 50.5% | 32.2% |
| Black (%) | 7.2% | 28.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 37.1% | 30.7% |
| Asian (%) | 2.1% | 5.0% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 22 min |
| Walkability | 10.7/20 | 7.8/20 |
| Airport Distance | 28 mi | 46 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 83.5% | 88.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 20.31 | 39.27 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
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 Meriden or New Haven more affordable?
- New Haven has the lower cost of living: its index is $60k, compared with Meriden's $60k and New Haven's $60k. Median rent is $1k in Meriden versus $1k in New Haven.
- Is Meriden or New Haven safer?
- Meriden has the lower violent crime rate. Meriden reports 2254/100k and New Haven reports 3023/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Meriden or New Haven?
- The median home value is $199k in Meriden and $237k in New Haven, so homes are more affordable in Meriden.