Living Cost Compare
El Paso

Texas

$1,020/mo est.

vs
Hartford

Connecticut

$1,300/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,020 in El Paso, TX versus $1,300 in Hartford, CT. Overall, El Paso, TX is roughly 22% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Hartford, CT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $58,734 in El Paso, TX and $45,300 in Hartford, CT — about 23% higher in El Paso, 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.

El Paso, TX
Hartford, CT

Rent

Studio
$707
$973
+38% in Hartford, CT
1 Bedroom
$816
$1,042
+28% in Hartford, CT
2 Bedroom
$993
$1,296
+31% in Hartford, CT
3 Bedroom
$1,252
$1,433
+14% in Hartford, CT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$171,700
$217,200
+26% in Hartford, CT

Income

Median Household Income
$58,734
$45,300
+23% in El Paso, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,510
$59,940
+52% in Hartford, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.1 yr
33.4 yr
+0.7 yr in El Paso, TX
Homeownership
60.2%
25.7%
+34.5 pp in El Paso, TX
Bachelor's+ (25+)
27.5%
18.3%
+9.2 pp in El Paso, TX
Avg Commute
23.7 min
22.8 min
+0.9 min in El Paso, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
319.7
527.5
+65% in Hartford, CT
Property Crime
1,509.3
2,949.2
+95% in Hartford, CT

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
64.6°F
51.2°F
+13.4°F in El Paso, TX
Annual Precipitation
9.7 in
43.6 in
+33.9 in in Hartford, CT

Gas

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

Area: Texas vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.50
—

Adult base one-way fare — Sun Metro vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
24.3
+53% in Hartford, CT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$23.33
+27% in El Paso, TX

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

Groceries

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

El Paso vs Hartford — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in El Paso or Hartford?
El Paso, TX is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,020 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Hartford, CT's $1,300, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in El Paso than in Hartford?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in El Paso versus $42,000 in Hartford.
Which has lower taxes, El Paso or Hartford?
El Paso is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax); Hartford 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).