Is it cheaper to live in Casper or New Haven?

Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 39% below New Haven, CT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in New Haven?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $51,000 in New Haven.

Which has lower taxes, Casper or New Haven?

Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); New Haven under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax).

Casper vs New Haven Cost of Living 2026

Casper

Wyoming

$930/mo est.

New Haven

Connecticut

$1,530/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $930 in Casper, WY versus $1,530 in New Haven, CT. Overall, Casper, WY is roughly 39% cheaper to live in day-to-day than New Haven, CT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $69,171 in Casper, WY and $53,771 in New Haven, CT — about 22% higher in Casper, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Connecticut has a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax.

Casper, WY

New Haven, CT

Rent

Studio

$730

$1,159

+59% in New Haven, CT

1 Bedroom

$764

$1,275

+67% in New Haven, CT

2 Bedroom

$930

$1,473

+58% in New Haven, CT

3 Bedroom

$1,299

$1,636

+26% in New Haven, CT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$250,700

$249,000

+1% in Casper, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$69,171

$53,771

+22% in Casper, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,880

$60,060

+23% in New Haven, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

37.0 yr

31.9 yr

+5.1 yr in Casper, WY

Homeownership

70.3%

28.4%

+41.9 pp in Casper, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

30.0%

37.7%

+7.7 pp in New Haven, CT

Avg Commute

16.9 min

21.0 min

+4.1 min in New Haven, CT

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

302.4

536.3

+77% in New Haven, CT

Property Crime

2,123.8

3,601.6

+70% 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

45.4°F

52.2°F

+6.8°F in New Haven, CT

Annual Precipitation

12.5 in

47.1 in

+34.6 in in New Haven, CT

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.94/gal

+8% in Casper, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

24.3

+60% in New Haven, CT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$23.33

+28% in New Haven, CT

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.31

+10% in Casper, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.92

+6% in Casper, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

about equal

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.90

+6% in Casper, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$2.19

+9% in New Haven, CT

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.69

about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / CT)

6.35%

+2.3 pp in CT

Income Tax (top rate)

None

6.99%

+7.0 pp in CT

Casper vs New Haven — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Casper or New Haven?: Casper, WY is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $930 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 39% below New Haven, CT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Casper than in New Haven?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Casper versus $51,000 in New Haven.
Which has lower taxes, Casper or New Haven?: Casper is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% 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).