City profile · Connecticut · Census ACS 2023

Hartford, CT

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Hartford - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

119,970
Residents
$45,300
Median income
$217,200
Median home
$1,865
Median rent (state)

Hartford - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Hartford lands in the 13th percentile for household income and the 12th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

13th
percentile, household income
48th
percentile, home value
79th
percentile, median rent
12th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Hartford, CT

Hartford is a mid-sized U.S. city in Connecticut, home to 119,970 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Hartford households earn a median of $45,300 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 21.4%. Typical homes in Hartford are valued around $217,200, and the median resident age is 33.4 years. Educational attainment runs 18.3% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 56.6% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 6 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 14% from five years earlier. Hartford's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 3361.3 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Connecticut carries a cost-of-living premium: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Connecticut at 103.6 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Above Average). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,865 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Connecticut run around $345, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Commute times here average 20.9 minutes, with 61.0% driving alone and 8.1% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 97.4 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

119,970 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Connecticut

Median Household Income

$45,300 /yr

Poverty 21.4%

Cost of Living Index (state)

103.6 (US=100)

Above Average - BEA RPP 2024, Connecticut average

How does Hartford compare to other US cities?

Here's how Hartford stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 13% higher than other cities
Home value 48% pricier than other cities
Median rent 79% pricier than other cities
Safety 12% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Connecticut and the picture shifts: Hartford ranks #44 of 46 Connecticut cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Hartford's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Connecticut, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

13thIncome percentile
12thSafety percentile

13th percentile nationally for median household income · 12th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Hartford's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Hartford's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 21 Avg. percentile National median
Hartford's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Hartford's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$217,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 52% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Hartford $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Hartford, CT Hartford, CT's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Hartford, CT-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Hartford, CT median $45,300/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Hartford, CT's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Hartford, CT. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 18.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 21.4%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 56.6%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
119,970
Median Income
$45,300
Median Home Value
$217,200
Median Age
33.4
Poverty Rate
21.4%
Labor force participation
56.6%
Bachelor's Degree+
18.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
3361.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
515.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
2845.5
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
44
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
120,000 residents120,500 residents121,000 residents121,500 residents122,000 residents122,500 residents 202020212022202320242025 120,479 residents 121,981 residents ▲ +1.2%
Hartford's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
6
housing units authorized
Single-Family
6
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.1
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 7
2020 10
2021 11
2022 2
2023 141
2024 6

Permit volume decreased 14% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
20.9 minutes
Drive Alone
61.0%
Carpool
11.4%
Public Transit
11.8%
Walk
4.8%
Work from Home
8.1%
Other
2.9%

Based on 52,114 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Connecticut - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$175
avg/month
Natural Gas
$110
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$60
avg/month
Total Utilities
$345
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Connecticut state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Connecticut state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Hartford sits in

Cost of Living Index
103.6
Above Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,865/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
97.4 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Connecticut

Waterbury
114,356 people
New Haven
132,893 people
Stamford
135,806 people
Bridgeport
148,012 people
Norwalk
91,375 people
Danbury
86,086 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Hartford's 119,970 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Fairfield, CA
119,985 people
Berkeley, CA
120,223 people
West Palm Beach, FL
119,508 people
Spring Hill, FL
118,814 people
Ann Arbor, MI
121,179 people
Wilmington, NC
118,578 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Hartford's $45,300 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Rodríguez Hevia comunidad, PR
$45,294 median income
Pearsall, TX
$45,293 median income
Cameron, AZ
$45,313 median income
Ben Lomond, AR
$45,313 median income
Meansville, GA
$45,313 median income
Velda Village Hills, MO
$45,313 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Hartford, CT Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Hartford, CT - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 26.4% 36.1% 19.0% 15.7% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 44.8% White 26.4% Black or African American 36.1% Asian 2.3% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 19.0% Two or more races 15.7% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Hartford compares to nearby Connecticut cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Hartford (this city) 119,970 $45,300
Waterbury 114,356 $51,642
New Haven 132,893 $53,771
Stamford 135,806 $107,474
Census ACS 5-year FIPS CT FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Hartford, CT?

What is the population of Hartford, CT? +

Hartford, CT counts 119,970 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Hartford, CT? +

In Hartford, the typical household earns $45,300 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Hartford? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Hartford; the closest available measure is the Connecticut state average, a cost of living index of 103.6 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Above Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Connecticut vary by metro area.

Is Hartford, CT safe? +

Hartford has a total crime rate of 3361.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Hartford, CT? +

The median home value in Hartford is $217,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.