Living Cost Compare
Arlington

Texas

$1,380/mo est.

vs
New Haven

Connecticut

$1,530/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,380 in Arlington, TX versus $1,530 in New Haven, CT. Overall, Arlington, TX is roughly 10% cheaper to live in day-to-day than New Haven, CT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $73,519 in Arlington, TX and $53,771 in New Haven, CT — about 27% higher in Arlington, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Connecticut has a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax.

Arlington, TX
New Haven, CT

Rent

Studio
$1,088
$1,159
+7% in New Haven, CT
1 Bedroom
$1,183
$1,275
+8% in New Haven, CT
2 Bedroom
$1,410
$1,473
+4% in New Haven, CT
3 Bedroom
$1,819
$1,636
+10% in Arlington, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$276,400
$249,000
+10% in Arlington, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$73,519
$53,771
+27% in Arlington, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$60,060
+17% in New Haven, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.6 yr
31.9 yr
+1.7 yr in Arlington, TX
Homeownership
54.8%
28.4%
+26.4 pp in Arlington, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.1%
37.7%
+4.6 pp in New Haven, CT
Avg Commute
26.7 min
21.0 min
+5.7 min in Arlington, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
494.2
536.3
+9% in New Haven, CT
Property Crime
2,434.5
3,601.6
+48% in New Haven, CT

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
65.4°F
52.2°F
+13.2°F in Arlington, TX
Annual Precipitation
39.6 in
47.1 in
+7.5 in in New Haven, CT

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.94/gal
+10% in New Haven, CT

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
N/A
—

Adult base one-way fare — Arlington On-Demand (Via) vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
24.3
+53% in New Haven, CT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$23.33
+27% in Arlington, TX

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.31
+8% in New Haven, CT
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.92
+10% in New Haven, CT
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Arlington, TX
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.90
+7% in New Haven, CT
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.19
+15% in New Haven, CT
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.69
+12% in New Haven, CT

Average prices — South vs Northeast (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (TX / CT)
6.25%
6.35%
+0.1 pp in CT
Income Tax (top rate)
None
6.99%
+7.0 pp in CT

Arlington vs New Haven — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Arlington or New Haven?
Arlington, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,380 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 10% below New Haven, CT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Arlington than in New Haven?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $47,000 a year in Arlington versus $51,000 in New Haven.
Which has lower taxes, Arlington or New Haven?
Arlington is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); New Haven under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).