Living Cost Compare
Hartford

Connecticut

$1,300/mo est.

vs
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,300 in Hartford, CT versus $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL. Overall, Hartford, CT is roughly 2% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $45,300 in Hartford, CT and $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL — about 32% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Connecticut has a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Hartford, CT
Jacksonville, FL

Rent

Studio
$973
$1,127
+16% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,042
$1,146
+10% in Jacksonville, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,296
$1,385
+7% in Jacksonville, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,433
$1,545
+8% in Jacksonville, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$217,200
$266,100
+23% in Jacksonville, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$45,300
$66,981
+48% in Jacksonville, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$59,940
$48,830
+19% in Hartford, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
36.4 yr
+3.0 yr in Jacksonville, FL
Homeownership
25.7%
57.4%
+31.7 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
18.3%
31.8%
+13.5 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Avg Commute
22.8 min
24.1 min
+1.3 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
527.5
558.4
+6% in Jacksonville, FL
Property Crime
2,949.2
2,600.1
+12% 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
51.2°F
70.2°F
+19.0°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
43.6 in
49.2 in
+5.6 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.83/gal
+3% in Hartford, CT

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.75

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
24.3
15.1
+38% in Hartford, CT
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.33
$23.62
+1% in Jacksonville, FL

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Hartford, CT
Bread (lb)
$1.92
$1.75
+9% in Hartford, CT
Eggs (doz)
$2.19
$2.21
+1% in Jacksonville, FL
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.90
$6.45
+6% in Hartford, CT
Chicken (lb)
$2.19
$1.90
+13% in Hartford, CT
Bananas (lb)
$0.69
$0.62
+11% in Hartford, CT

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (CT / FL)
6.35%
6%
+0.3 pp in CT
Income Tax (top rate)
6.99%
None
+7.0 pp in CT

Hartford vs Jacksonville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Hartford or Jacksonville?
Hartford, CT is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,300 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 2% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Hartford than in Jacksonville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $42,000 a year in Hartford versus $46,000 in Jacksonville.
Which has lower taxes, Hartford or Jacksonville?
Hartford is taxed under Connecticut's rules (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax); Jacksonville under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% 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).