What it's like to live in Hartford
Hartford is a mid-size city in Connecticut with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, schools with smaller class sizes than the national average, and public transit that many commuters actually use. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Hartford deals with unemployment above the national average, household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, and college degree attainment below the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low student-teacher ratio
- Public transit that many commuters use
The not so good
- Above-average unemployment
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Low college degree attainment
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
How Hartford compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Hartford
Based on Hartford's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,538
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $50,760 a year
- 55% of Hartford renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$45,720
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $22,860
- Homes cost 4.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 10% below US
$1,269/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,269 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $228,600. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $228,600 · 55% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 42% above US
6.1% unemployment
Unemployment here is 6.1%, well above the national average of 4.3%. Moving with a job already lined up matters more here.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 40% above US
459 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is worth weighing seriously here. Rates run above the national average, and while plenty of residents live comfortably, neighborhood selection matters a lot more than it does in a safer city.
Property crime 2262/100k · Hartford Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 11% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 23.1 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% take public transit; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are warm, with highs around 82°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 23°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
3 hospitals
There are 3 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 3.0 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 46% below US
19% bachelor's degree or higher
This is a working-class city, and college degree rates reflect that. Trades, manufacturing, and service industries tend to dominate the local economy, which is a strength for some fields and a real constraint for others.
Schools
48 public schools inside the boundary
There are 48 public schools inside the boundary and 9 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Springfield Armory National Historic Site (24 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Hartford's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are unemployment above the national average and household incomes below the national average. A year of median rent ($1,269/mo) equals 33% of the median household income here, more than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who would rather not drive. It may be a harder fit for anyone moving without a job lined up.
Other places near Hartford
All Connecticut guides →Moving to East Hartford →
2 mi away · pop. 50,918
Rent $1,225/mo · Income $70,778
Compare with Hartford →Moving to West Hartford →
3 mi away · pop. 63,620
Rent $1,756/mo · Income $129,890
Compare with Hartford →Moving to Wethersfield →
4 mi away · pop. 27,250
Rent $1,370/mo · Income $126,806
Compare with Hartford →Not sure Hartford is the one?
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