Moving to
West Hartford.

All West Hartford data Compare West Hartford

63,620people live here $129,890median household income▲ 61% above US $1,756median rent per month▲ 24% above US $411,000median home value▲ 24% above US

West Hartford is an unincorporated community in the county, CT. It has no city government: the county runs it, and the Census counts it as its own place.

What it's like to live in West Hartford

West Hartford is a large unincorporated community in Connecticut with household incomes running above the national average, crime rates well below the national average, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and a highly educated workforce. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.

The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. West Hartford deals with rent well above the national average, cold winters, snowy winters, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.

The good

Higher-than-average incomes
Low crime rates
Short commutes
Highly educated workforce
Low student-teacher ratio

The not so good

Rent well above the national average
Cold winters
Snowy winters — 39" per year
Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options

How West Hartford compares

Median household income

West Hartford$129,890

Connecticut avg$95,781

US$80,734

Median rent (per month)

West Hartford$1,756

Connecticut avg$1,488

US$1,413

Median home value

West Hartford$411,000

Connecticut avg$366,900

US$332,700

What it takes to move to West Hartford

Based on West Hartford's median rent, home value and household income

To rent

$3,512

up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit

Income to keep rent under 30%: $70,240 a year
40% of West Hartford renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent

To buy

$82,200

a 20% down payment on the median home

With 10% down: $41,100
Homes cost 3.2× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)

Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.

The details

Cost of living▲ 24% above US

$1,756/mo median rent

Rent runs on the higher side, at $1,756 a month median. Whether that premium makes sense usually comes down to the local job market and what it pays. Home prices run above average, with a median around $411,000. Buyers should expect to stretch their budget here.

Median home value $411,000 · 40% of renters cost-burdened

Job market

4.1% county unemployment

Unemployment in Capitol Planning Region is 4.1%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.

Capitol Planning Region (county-wide)

Safety▼ 86% below US

45 violent crimes per 100k

Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.

Property crime 1943/100k · West Hartford Police Department · 2025 data

Getting around▼ 14% below US

22 min average commute

Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 7 in 10 workers drive to work; 23% work from home.

How workers get to work

Drive alone

65%

Work from home

23%

Carpool

7.5%

Other

1.6%

Walk

1.5%

Public transit

1.4%

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

High °FLow °FPrecip (in)

30-year averages, 1991–2020

Healthcare

1 hospital

There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.

Medicare-certified hospitals

Education & workforce▲ 85% above US

67% bachelor's degree or higher

This is a highly educated city, with over half the adult population holding a college degree. That tends to shape the job market and the broader culture, and it's a solid indicator of a strong professional scene.

Schools

16 public schools inside the boundary

There are 16 public schools inside the boundary and 12 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12:1, 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 (25 miles away). There are 8 national parks and sites within a day's drive.

Bottom line

West Hartford's strongest points are household incomes running above the national average and crime rates well below the national average; the main tradeoffs are rent well above the national average and cold winters. A year of median rent ($1,756/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit anyone prioritizing low crime, remote workers (23% of workers here already work from home), and college-educated professionals.

See all the data for West Hartford →·All Connecticut cities →