Head-to-head
Connecticut vs Massachusetts
Massachusetts's 2024 price level is 2.147 points above Connecticut's (105.757 vs 103.610); Massachusetts homes are worth $195,200 more at the median, but Connecticut owners pay $651 more a year in property tax.
Updated
| Measure | Connecticut | Massachusetts | First − second |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-items price level | 103.610 | 105.757 | −2.147 points |
| Rent price level | 117.048 | 128.068 | −11.020 points |
| Home value | $366,900±$1,621 | $562,100±$2,169 | −$195,200 |
| Two-bedroom gross rent | $1,584±$15 | $1,876±$15 | −$292 |
| Household income | $95,781±$732 | $103,960±$527 | −$8,179 |
| Real estate taxes paid | $6,643±$25 | $5,992±$18 | +$651 |
$4,000 of monthly spending in Connecticut scales to $4,083 in Massachusetts at the 2024 all-items price ratio.
BEA 2024 and ACS 2020–2024; ± marks the Census 90% margin. How to read a gap
Connecticut vs Massachusetts: cheaper homes, heavier tax bills
Rents are the main price difference. Massachusetts rents run 11.020 points higher on the parity and $292 a month more at the median two-bedroom. Both states have some of the costliest utilities in the country, 152.070 in Massachusetts and 146.495 in Connecticut, and goods and other services are nearly level, other services differing by just 0.194 points.
Owners face a trade-off. Connecticut's cheaper homes come with the larger tax bill, $6,643 a year at the median against $5,992. Owners without a mortgage report almost the same median monthly costs, $1,071 and $1,043; owners with a mortgage pay $2,429 in Connecticut and $2,726 in Massachusetts.
Incomes point in two directions. Massachusetts households earn $8,179 more at the median, yet Connecticut edges ahead per person after prices, third in the country against fourth.
Both states depend on income tax. Massachusetts draws 53.0% of its state collections from it, $3,423 per resident, and Connecticut 45.3%, $3,042 per resident. Connecticut's rates run from 2% to 6.99% across seven brackets, and its 6.35% sales tax has no local add-on. Total collections were $6,711 per resident in Connecticut and $6,454 in Massachusetts.
A cross-border job needs both locations written down: where you live decides the resident return, and where you work can add a nonresident one. Lease utilities and parking are often listed separately from the advertised rent, so compare the contract with the gross-rent definition before treating the $292 gap as total monthly cash.
Price levels by category
| Measure | Connecticut | Massachusetts | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 103.610 | 105.757 | −2.147 |
| Goods | 97.330 | 98.820 | −1.490 |
| Housing (rents) | 117.048 | 128.068 | −11.020 |
| Utilities | 146.495 | 152.070 | −5.575 |
| Other services | 102.658 | 102.852 | −0.194 |
| Real income per person (2017 $) | $74,254 | $71,629 | +$2,625 |
Two state tax mixes, FY2025
Connecticut: $24.75 billion, $6,711 per resident. Massachusetts: $46.17 billion, $6,454 per resident.
| Tax | CT share | MA share | CT per resident | MA per resident |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Individual income | 45.3% | 53.0% | $3,042 | $3,423 |
| General sales | 25.3% | 21.0% | $1,698 | $1,358 |
| Property | not levied | 0.0% | — | $2 |
| Motor fuel | 2.3% | 1.5% | $154 | $99 |
| Other selective sales | 9.7% | 4.9% | $649 | $317 |
| Corporate income | 14.1% | 13.8% | $949 | $889 |
| Licenses | 1.6% | 3.2% | $104 | $209 |
| Severance | 0.0% | not levied | $0 | — |
| Other taxes | 1.7% | 2.4% | $116 | $157 |
Taxes on wages and purchases
| Tax | Connecticut | Massachusetts |
|---|---|---|
| Income tax | 2% to 6.99% across seven brackets | 5% on wages, plus 4% above an indexed $1,000,000 |
| State sales tax | 6.35% on most goods and taxable services; no local sales tax | 6.25% |
Reviewed by the State Cost Compare Editorial Team · Review policy · Report a correction