Worcester, MA vs New Haven, CT: Cost of Living

Which city costs less?

New Haven, CT has a modeled overall cost index 9.0% lower than Worcester, MA.

Worcester, MA · modeled 2BR rent: $2,130 / month
New Haven, CT · modeled 2BR rent: $2,040 / month

These are saved estimates, not current rental listings. Some cities use adjusted regional data. Your household budget can differ from the overall index. Sources and assumptions

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Cost of Living Comparison 2026

Compare Worcester, MA and New Haven, CT using saved regional data and explicit budgeting assumptions. Rent estimates are not live listings. Change the salary below, then check the source notes before applying a result to your household.

Saved regional estimates · Sources and assumptions

Current salary in Worcester, MA

Numbers update automatically as you type

Estimated savings: $173/month in New Haven, CT

$150,000 in your current city has a modeled equivalent of $147,919 in New Haven, CT

Regional cost estimates: Worcester, MA uses Boston, MA. New Haven, CT uses New York, NY. Available city ZIP rent estimates are shown separately.

Overall Cost

↓ 9.0%

Less expensive

Monthly Impact

$173

Savings

Annual Impact

$2.1K

Per year

Assumes 60% of current gross income goes to living costs. The headline uses the category budget below; taxes, moving costs and savings goals are excluded.

Worcester, MA

Population:208K

Cost Index:

138.3

100 = national average

Typical Home:$410K

New Haven, CT

Population:135K

Cost Index:

126.0

100 = national average

Typical Home:$353K

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Worcester, MA

The Bay State

208K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Massachusetts, this city has a population of 208K residents.

New Haven, CT

The Constitution State

135K

Population

State Tax

Yes

Located in Connecticut, this city has a population of 135K residents.

Cost Breakdown by Category

Estimated monthly spending: Worcester, MA vs New Haven, CT

Assumes 60% of your current gross income is spent on these categories. The headline and totals use this same budget. Rent estimates below are separate reference data. Rounded amounts may differ by $1.

Category	Worcester, MA	New Haven, CT	Difference	Change
Housing	$3,226/mo	$3,777/mo	↑ $551more	17.1%
Transportation	$1,244/mo	$879/mo	↓ $365less	29.3%
All Utilities	$505/mo	$380/mo	↓ $125less	24.7%
Other	$1,240/mo	$1,116/mo	↓ $124less	10.0%
Healthcare	$524/mo	$436/mo	↓ $88.49less	16.9%
Groceries	$761/mo	$738/mo	↓ $22.69less	3.0%

Housing

↑ 17.1%

Worcester, MA

$3,226

New Haven, CT

$3,777

Difference

$551

Transportation

↓ 29.3%

Worcester, MA

$1,244

New Haven, CT

$879

Difference

$365

less

All Utilities

↓ 24.7%

Worcester, MA

$505

New Haven, CT

$380

Difference

$125

less

Other

↓ 10.0%

Worcester, MA

$1,240

New Haven, CT

$1,116

Difference

$124

less

Healthcare

↓ 16.9%

Worcester, MA

$524

New Haven, CT

$436

Difference

$88.49

less

Groceries

↓ 3.0%

Worcester, MA

$761

New Haven, CT

$738

Difference

$22.69

less

🏠Rent Comparison

Studio

From$1,650

To$1,420

↓ $230

1 Bed

From$1,660

To$1,650

↓ $10.00

2 Bed

From$2,130

To$2,040

↓ $90.00

3 Bed

From$2,640

To$2,520

↓ $120

Worcester, MAZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,500–$1,750/mo

New Haven, CTZIP-level data

1BR range: $1,520–$2,100/mo

💡 Note: HUD Fair Market Rents estimate 40th-percentile gross rents, including most tenant-paid utilities. City ZIP summaries are medians of those estimates, not market median rents. Actual prices vary by neighborhood, amenities, and condition. Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents FY2026.

$7,500

Monthly in Worcester, MA

$7,327

Monthly in New Haven, CT

$173

Difference

Home Values

Worcester

New Haven

$410K

Median Value

$353K

↑ +1.3%

YoY Change

↑ +3.5%

↑ +42.4%

5-Year Change

↑ +43.5%

$188K - $530K

Price Range

$286K - $385K

Homes in New Haven are 14% less expensive than Worcester

Calculate payment - Worcester Calculate payment - New Haven

Source: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), January 2026

Tax Comparison

Annual tax burden comparison at $150.0K salary

Tax Savings

↓ $550

More taxes

Monthly Difference

$45.83

Less take-home

Effective Rate Diff

0.4%

Rate difference

Worcester, MA

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Massachusetts State Tax

Effective: 5.0%

$7.5K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 29.7%

$44.5K

Take-Home Pay

$8,791/month

$105.5K

New Haven, CT

Federal Income Tax

Effective: 18.9%

$25.5K

Connecticut State Tax

Effective: 5.4%

$8.1K

FICA Taxes

Social Security + Medicare

$11.5K

Total Taxes

Effective: 30.0%

$45.1K

Take-Home Pay

$8,745/month

$104.9K

Additional Tax Information

Worcester, MA Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:1.2%

New Haven, CT Tax Rates

Sales Tax:6.3%

Property Tax:2.1%

💡 Note: Tax calculations are estimates based on 2024/2025 tax brackets for single filers with standard deduction. Actual taxes may vary based on filing status, deductions, credits, and local variations.

Environment

Worcester

New Haven

36 Good

Air Quality

43 Good

79.5%

Good Air Days

65.8%

94 Moderate

Climate Risk

99 High

🌊🌅🌀

Top Hazards

🌊🌀🌡

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

▲+2.5°F

2050 Outlook

▲+2.7°F

6 days

Heat Days >95°F

11 days

Before moving from Worcester, MA to New Haven, CT

Use this comparison to shortlist a move, then check the costs that depend on your household.

Compare actual homes. Get current quotes in New Haven, CT for the same bedroom count and included utilities as your home in Worcester, MA. Add parking, deposits, insurance and any overlapping leases. The rent estimates above are a starting point, not available listings.
Confirm your income. Check your expected pay with your employer, including any location adjustment. Use “Different salary at destination?” above to compare two incomes. The budget model excludes taxes and one-time moving costs; it is not a take-home-pay calculation.
Price your daily routine. Check the commute from a specific address to work, school or childcare. Add household expenses missing from this model, such as childcare, debt payments and medical needs. Verify local services before signing a lease.
Plan the transition. Get moving quotes and budget for travel, setup costs and time off. Open your Worcester to New Haven moving checklist to organize the tasks and timing.

Still choosing a destination? Explore cities similar to New Haven, CT by cost, housing, population and region.

Frequently Asked Questions: Worcester, MA vs New Haven, CT

How do the cost estimates for Worcester, MA and New Haven, CT compare?

New Haven, CT has a modeled overall cost index 9.0% lower than Worcester, MA. This is a broad model comparison, not a survey of today's prices or a forecast of your household spending. Some cities use adjusted regional fallback data.

What does the equivalent salary mean?

At a $150,000 salary in Worcester, MA, the model estimates $147,919 in New Haven, CT. It allocates 60% of gross income to the origin city’s category budget and applies each destination category’s relative cost. The equivalent salary adds the total category difference to your income. The monthly difference is the same category difference divided by 12; it is not take-home pay or guaranteed savings. Household size, childcare and your actual lease are not inputs to this calculation.

What rent estimates are available for Worcester, MA and New Haven, CT?

The modeled two-bedroom rents are $2,130/month in Worcester, MA and $2,040/month in New Haven, CT. Where available, the source is a city median of HUD FY2026 ZIP-level estimates; otherwise a saved metro table is used. City adjustments may also apply. These are not asking rents or available listings. Compare actual properties with the same bedroom count and included utilities.

How should I use this comparison before moving?

Use it to shortlist locations, then replace modeled costs with a current housing quote, employer-confirmed income, commute costs, insurance and your household's other expenses. Add one-time moving costs separately. Source years differ and the saved datasets are not a live price feed. Read the methodology for the formulas and fallback rules.

💰 See how taxes change too — compare take-home pay between Massachusetts and Connecticut on TaxTakeHome.com