Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or New Haven?

Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below New Haven, CT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.

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

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $51,000 in New Haven.

Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or New Haven?

Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); New Haven under Connecticut's (a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax).

Jacksonville vs New Haven Cost of Living 2026

Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/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 $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,530 in New Haven, CT. Overall, Jacksonville, FL is roughly 14% cheaper to live in day-to-day than New Haven, CT, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $53,771 in New Haven, CT — about 20% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Connecticut has a top state income tax rate of 6.99% and a 6.35% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL

New Haven, CT

Rent

Studio

$1,127

$1,159

+3% in New Haven, CT

1 Bedroom

$1,146

$1,275

+11% in New Haven, CT

2 Bedroom

$1,385

$1,473

+6% in New Haven, CT

3 Bedroom

$1,545

$1,636

+6% in New Haven, CT

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$266,100

$249,000

+6% in Jacksonville, FL

Income

Median Household Income

$66,981

$53,771

+20% in Jacksonville, FL

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$48,830

$60,060

+23% in New Haven, CT

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

36.4 yr

31.9 yr

+4.5 yr in Jacksonville, FL

Homeownership

57.4%

28.4%

+29.0 pp in Jacksonville, FL

Bachelor's+ (25+)

31.8%

37.7%

+5.9 pp in New Haven, CT

Avg Commute

24.1 min

21.0 min

+3.1 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

558.4

536.3

+4% in Jacksonville, FL

Property Crime

2,600.1

3,601.6

+39% 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

70.2°F

52.2°F

+18.0°F in Jacksonville, FL

Annual Precipitation

49.2 in

47.1 in

+2.1 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.83/gal

$3.94/gal

+3% in New Haven, CT

Area: Florida vs East Coast (PADD 1).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)

$1.75

—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.1

24.3

+61% in New Haven, CT

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$23.62

$23.33

+1% in Jacksonville, FL

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 Jacksonville, FL

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 (FL / CT)

6.35%

+0.3 pp in CT

Income Tax (top rate)

None

6.99%

+7.0 pp in CT

Jacksonville vs New Haven — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or New Haven?: Jacksonville, FL is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,320 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 14% below New Haven, CT's $1,530, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in New Haven?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $51,000 in New Haven.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or New Haven?: Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% 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).