State comparison
New Jersey vs Connecticut: which state is better to live in?
Connecticut costs a median household about $2,900 a year less in state and local taxes than New Jersey, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $7,071 a year against $10,650 in New Jersey.
New Jersey
High tax burden · COL index 121
Wins 6 categories
Connecticut
High tax burden · COL index 114
Wins 10 categories
Taxes: New Jersey vs Connecticut
New Jersey has a graduated income tax topping out at 10.75%, which works out to 3.5% on a median income of $74,580, or $2,628 a year. Connecticut has a graduated income tax topping out at 6.99%, which works out to 4.5% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,352 a year. New Jersey wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 2.13% of home value a year in New Jersey and 1.79% in Connecticut (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $10,650 against $7,071, so Connecticut has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 6.60% in New Jersey and 6.35% in Connecticut; Connecticut is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $14,755 a year in New Jersey, $11,843 in Connecticut. Connecticut is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
New Jersey's cost of living index is 121 and Connecticut's is 114, where 100 is the national average; Connecticut is about 6% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $500K in New Jersey and $395K in Connecticut (Zillow, 2024), a $105K gap in Connecticut's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $2,200 a month in New Jersey and $1,800 in Connecticut.
Home insurance averages $1,400 a year in New Jersey and $1,600 in Connecticut, so New Jersey is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 213 incidents per 100,000 residents in New Jersey and 203 in Connecticut (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Connecticut is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 5% lower. Property crime is 1,368 per 100,000 in New Jersey against 1,380 in Connecticut, again favoring New Jersey.
Health
Life expectancy is 79 years in New Jersey and 79.8 in Connecticut (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 0.8-year edge for Connecticut. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks New Jersey's health system 19th of 50 and Connecticut's 3rd, so Connecticut scores better on care.
6.8% of New Jersey residents have no health insurance against 5.9% in Connecticut, which favors Connecticut. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks New Jersey's K-12 schools 2nd in the country and Connecticut's 3rd, 1 places apart in New Jersey's favor. Neither state runs a school-choice voucher program.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election New Jersey went to Harris by 6 points and Connecticut went to Harris by 12 points.
New Jersey has may-issue carry permits and a Giffords gun-law grade of A; Connecticut has may-issue carry permits and a grade of A.
Abortion is protected by state law in both states, and marijuana is legal for adults in both as of 2026. The minimum wage is $15.13 an hour in New Jersey and $15.69 in Connecticut.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is moderate in New Jersey (hurricane, flood, nor-easter) and moderate in Connecticut (hurricane, flood, blizzard). Annual average air quality index is 35 in New Jersey and 32 in Connecticut (under 50 is good), favoring Connecticut.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
6
New Jersey
10
Connecticut
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is New Jersey or Connecticut better to live in?
Connecticut wins more of the measures that decide a move. Connecticut on taxes ($11,843 a year for a median household against $14,755); Connecticut on everyday costs (index 114 against 121); Connecticut on safety (203 violent crimes per 100,000 against 213); New Jersey on schools (ranked 2nd against 3rd).
Which is cheaper, New Jersey or Connecticut?
Connecticut is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 114 against 121. The median home is $500K in New Jersey and $395K in Connecticut (2024). On state and local taxes Connecticut saves a median household about $2,900 a year.
Does New Jersey or Connecticut have lower taxes?
Connecticut. A household earning $74,580 pays about $14,755 a year in New Jersey ($2,628 income tax, $10,650 property tax on the median home and $1,477 in sales tax) and $11,843 in Connecticut ($3,352 income tax, $7,071 property tax on the median home and $1,421 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, New Jersey or Connecticut?
Connecticut, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 213 per 100,000 residents in New Jersey and 203 in Connecticut; property crime is 1,368 against 1,380.
Which has better schools, New Jersey or Connecticut?
New Jersey. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks New Jersey 2nd of 50 for K-12 and Connecticut 3rd.
Is New Jersey or Connecticut better for retirees?
New Jersey is friendlier to retirees on paper. New Jersey does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an inheritance tax; Connecticut taxes Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an estate tax. Property tax on a median home is $10,650 a year in New Jersey and $7,071 in Connecticut.