Should I Move To
New Haven, Connecticut comes in at about 135,736 residents. Cost of living comes out expensive — 22% above the national average. Rent typically lands near $1,402/mo, and the median household income is about $54,305. Overall, 56/100 on our composite score, which works out to a C, putting it at #274 nationally.
UrbRank Score · General
Each dimension scored 0-100 against every other US city.
Based on overall cost of living vs. other US cities.
Inverse of violent + property crime rate per 100,000 residents.
Temperate summers & winters, moderate precipitation.
Walk Score — how feasible daily errands are on foot.
Unemployment rate plus household income vs. national median.
Air quality index (EPA AQS data).
Share of residents 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
Cost-of-living index of 122 (with 100 as the US baseline) — that's expensive territory. With median rent at $1,402/mo and median household income at $54,305, housing takes about 31% of gross income — a bit above the 30% rule, meaning housing is on the tight side for the median household. Homes typically value around $236,500.
Full cost-of-living breakdown →Expect four-season weather — summers near 83°F, winters around 30°F. Rain (and snow, in some seasons) totals about 50 inches annually. A walker's paradise by US standards. Many people here genuinely skip car ownership. Reported crime is somewhat above average, though specific neighborhoods vary widely. AQI runs about 38 — a "good" reading.
Verdict by lifestyle profile — same data, different priorities.
On the families profile, New Haven sits squarely in the middle. The profile-weighted score is 55/100 — a C. Its standout dimension is walkability (98/100); the soft spot is job market (10/100).
On the retirees profile, New Haven sits squarely in the middle. The profile-weighted score is 64/100 — a C+. Its standout dimension is walkability (98/100); the soft spot is job market (10/100).
On the remote workers profile, New Haven sits squarely in the middle. The profile-weighted score is 61/100 — a C+. Its standout dimension is walkability (98/100); the soft spot is job market (10/100).
New Haven is a tougher sell for young professionals. The profile-weighted score is 51/100 — a C-. Its standout dimension is walkability (98/100); the soft spot is job market (10/100).
Our overall score for New Haven is 56/100 — a C, sitting at #274 in the national ranking. It's a weighted average across the seven UrbRank dimensions.
By the composite index, New Haven sits at 122 — expensive, 22% above the national average. Median renter pays around $1,402 a month.
New Haven runs four-season on the weather. Summer's near 83°F, winter's near 30°F; 50 inches of precipitation annually.
Walk Score: 98/100. A walker's paradise by US standards. Many people here genuinely skip car ownership.
Roughly 135,736 people live here, with 39% college-educated (bachelor's or higher) among adults 25+ with a median age of 31.
Drop New Haven into the comparison tool with any other US city and you'll get housing costs, salaries, demographics, and quality-of-life data lined up side by side. Profile-specific leaderboards (families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals) are linked from the navigation.
Every US city is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions using public data from the US Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, FBI Crime Data Explorer, EPA Air Quality System, NOAA NCEI, and Walk Score. Each dimension is a percentile rank against every other city — so a score of 80 means the city is in the top 20% nationally on that dimension.
The overall score is a weighted average. Five lifestyle profiles — general, families, retirees, remote workers, young professionals — weight the dimensions differently to reflect what each cares about. Families get more weight on safety and schools; young professionals get more weight on jobs and walkability; retirees get more weight on climate.
Compare New Haven with other Connecticut cities scored on UrbRank.
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