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Butts Bridge Over Quinebaug River, Canterbury, CTCanterbury, #1 on this list · Photo: Cathy Cline · CC BY-SA 3.0
Connecticut rankings · Cost of living

Most affordable towns in Connecticut

Canterbury ranks first on cost of living among Connecticut’s 155 towns of 2,500+; 0 of the 155 grade A− or better on cost of living nationally.

The Cost of living grade: home values, rent and property-tax bills against the income of the town’s metro area or county, and the share of households paying 30%+ of income for housing (Census ACS). How grades work

#1

Canterbury

5,251 people
B+

Cost of living grade, homes cost 4.6 years of area income·Overall B · #88 of 151 in CT

#2

Columbia

5,352 people
B

Cost of living grade, homes cost 4.6 years of area income·Overall B · #78 of 151 in CT

#3

Monroe

19,341 people
B

Cost of living grade, homes cost 5.5 years of area income·Overall A+ · #1 of 151 in CT

All 155 towns

Cost of living grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank; the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

155 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeHome price · overall
1Canterbury5,251 peopleB+4.6 years of area income·Overall B · #88 of 151
2Columbia5,352 peopleB4.6 years of area income·Overall B · #78 of 151
3Monroe19,341 peopleB5.5 years of area income·Overall A+ · #1 of 151
4Thompson9,566 peopleB4.3 years of area income·Overall C · #123 of 151
5Kent3,101 peopleB6.6 years of area income·Overall A · #23 of 151
6Plainville17,746 peopleB−3.6 years of area income·Overall B · #87 of 151
7North Canaan3,231 peopleB−2.9 years of area income·Overall C · #122 of 151
8Durham7,209 peopleB−4.5 years of area income·Overall A− · #48 of 151
9Stafford11,721 peopleB−2.8 years of area income·Overall C+ · #107 of 151
10Barkhamsted3,726 peopleB−4.7 years of area income·Overall A− · #50 of 151
11Killingly18,177 peopleB−4.1 years of area income·Overall D · #138 of 151
12Putnam9,402 peopleB−3.0 years of area income·Overall C · #126 of 151
13Sprague2,954 peopleC+4.3 years of area income·Overall C− · #131 of 151
14East Haddam9,043 peopleC+4.6 years of area income·Overall A− · #49 of 151
15Voluntown2,653 peopleC+5.0 years of area income·Overall C+ · #110 of 151
16Brooklyn8,748 peopleC+3.5 years of area income·Overall C+ · #117 of 151
17Coventry12,446 peopleC+4.2 years of area income·Overall A · #15 of 151
18Windsor Locks12,617 peopleC+2.7 years of area income·Overall B− · #94 of 151
19Montville18,001 peopleC+4.2 years of area income·Overall B− · #105 of 151
20Harwinton5,751 peopleC+4.7 years of area income·Overall A− · #42 of 151
21Portland9,449 peopleC+3.5 years of area income·Overall A− · #26 of 151
22Windham24,139 peopleC+3.8 years of area income·Overall D · #141 of 151
23Winchester10,360 peopleC+4.2 years of area income·Overall B− · #93 of 151
24Woodstock8,474 peopleC+4.9 years of area income·Overall B− · #99 of 151
25Plainfield15,381 peopleC+3.8 years of area income·Overall B− · #103 of 151
26East Hartford50,968 peopleC+2.4 years of area income·Overall C− · #136 of 151
27Andover3,173 peopleC+4.4 years of area income·Overall A− · #43 of 151
28Thomaston7,572 peopleC+3.3 years of area income·Overall A− · #30 of 151
29New Hartford6,748 peopleC5.1 years of area income·Overall B+ · #60 of 151
30Sterling3,736 peopleC4.4 years of area income·Overall D · #143 of 151
31Bolton4,875 peopleC4.7 years of area income·Overall A · #22 of 151
32Marlborough6,213 peopleC5.0 years of area income·Overall B+ · #54 of 151
33Griswold11,690 peopleC4.2 years of area income·Overall C · #129 of 151
34East Windsor11,342 peopleC3.4 years of area income·Overall C+ · #121 of 151
35North Stonington5,242 peopleC5.4 years of area income·Overall A− · #28 of 151
36Burlington9,874 peopleC5.7 years of area income·Overall B+ · #55 of 151
37Enfield41,142 peopleC3.5 years of area income·Overall C+ · #118 of 151
38Goshen3,298 peopleC6.2 years of area income·No overall grade
39Somers10,938 peopleC4.2 years of area income·Overall B+ · #64 of 151
40Wethersfield27,291 peopleC3.4 years of area income·Overall B+ · #57 of 151
41Vernon30,842 peopleC3.6 years of area income·Overall B− · #100 of 151
42Preston4,873 peopleC4.9 years of area income·Overall C+ · #114 of 151
43Middlebury8,093 peopleC6.4 years of area income·Overall A · #10 of 151
44Deep River4,468 peopleC4.6 years of area income·Overall A− · #33 of 151
45Granby11,963 peopleC5.2 years of area income·Overall A · #16 of 151
46Litchfield8,381 peopleC4.2 years of area income·No overall grade
47Southington44,242 peopleC4.7 years of area income·Overall B+ · #65 of 151
48Manchester59,773 peopleC2.6 years of area income·Overall C · #127 of 151
49Willington5,601 peopleC4.2 years of area income·Overall C+ · #112 of 151
50Ashford4,265 peopleC4.4 years of area income·Overall C+ · #113 of 151
51Suffield16,046 peopleC5.2 years of area income·Overall A− · #37 of 151
52New Milford28,941 peopleC3.4 years of area income·Overall B · #89 of 151
53East Granby5,432 peopleC4.6 years of area income·Overall A− · #25 of 151
54Newington31,647 peopleC3.3 years of area income·Overall B− · #95 of 151
55Plymouth11,902 peopleC3.9 years of area income·Overall B · #85 of 151
56Clinton13,439 peopleC4.0 years of area income·Overall B · #83 of 151
57Brookfield18,566 peopleC5.1 years of area income·Overall A− · #45 of 151
58East Hampton13,134 peopleC3.7 years of area income·Overall A− · #41 of 151
59Pomfret4,378 peopleC−4.5 years of area income·Overall B+ · #69 of 151
60Berlin20,698 peopleC−4.8 years of area income·Overall B+ · #72 of 151
61Cromwell14,350 peopleC−4.0 years of area income·Overall B · #79 of 151
62Windsor29,879 peopleC−3.9 years of area income·Overall C+ · #108 of 151
63Colchester15,825 peopleC−4.2 years of area income·Overall B+ · #73 of 151
64Tolland14,752 peopleC−4.8 years of area income·Overall B+ · #56 of 151
65TorringtonLitchfield County · 35,796 peopleC−4.1 years of area income·Overall C− · #134 of 151
66Wallingford44,406 peopleC−4.8 years of area income·Overall B+ · #53 of 151
67Lebanon7,142 peopleC−4.9 years of area income·Overall B− · #98 of 151
68Prospect9,638 peopleC−5.4 years of area income·Overall B+ · #70 of 151
69Bethel21,682 peopleC−3.8 years of area income·Overall A− · #31 of 151
70Lisbon4,260 peopleC−4.6 years of area income·Overall B− · #104 of 151
71Killingworth6,288 peopleC−6.6 years of area income·Overall A− · #52 of 151
72Rocky Hill21,575 peopleC−4.3 years of area income·Overall A− · #35 of 151
73Washington3,733 peopleC−11.3 years of area income·Overall B+ · #58 of 151
74Stratford53,908 peopleC−4.1 years of area income·Overall C+ · #116 of 151
75Mansfield College campus29,062 peopleC−4.2 years of area income·Overall A
76Watertown22,526 peopleC−3.9 years of area income·Overall B+ · #75 of 151
77Hebron9,256 peopleC−5.0 years of area income·Overall A− · #44 of 151
78Sherman3,618 peopleC−4.3 years of area income·Overall B+ · #68 of 151
79East Haven27,925 peopleC−3.3 years of area income·Overall C− · #130 of 151
80Westbrook6,918 peopleC−6.1 years of area income·Overall A− · #39 of 151
81Bethlehem3,455 peopleC−6.0 years of area income·Overall B+ · #74 of 151
82Woodbridge9,160 peopleC−8.0 years of area income·Overall A · #18 of 151
83Canton10,304 peopleC−5.0 years of area income·Overall A− · #24 of 151
84Wilton19,435 peopleC−11.1 years of area income·Overall A+ · #3 of 151
85South Windsor27,036 peopleC−4.6 years of area income·Overall A− · #34 of 151
86Waterford20,435 peopleC−4.1 years of area income·Overall B · #92 of 151
87Milford53,606 peopleC−4.6 years of area income·No overall grade
88Oxford13,311 peopleC−6.9 years of area income·Overall B · #82 of 151
89Cheshire30,983 peopleC−6.2 years of area income·Overall A+ · #6 of 151
90Salem4,324 peopleC−5.5 years of area income·Overall A− · #36 of 151
91Bloomfield22,267 peopleC−3.8 years of area income·Overall C · #128 of 151
92Glastonbury35,503 peopleC−5.8 years of area income·Overall A · #20 of 151
93BridgeportFairfield County · 152,273 peopleC−4.0 years of area income·Overall D− · #146 of 151
94Haddam8,947 peopleD4.8 years of area income·Overall B+ · #62 of 151
95Salisbury4,290 peopleD9.8 years of area income·Overall B · #77 of 151
96Jewett CityNew London County · 3,456 peopleD3.0 years of area income·Overall D · #139 of 151
97Ellington16,594 peopleD4.7 years of area income·Overall B+ · #59 of 151
98North Haven24,799 peopleD4.5 years of area income·Overall B · #84 of 151
99Bethany5,339 peopleD6.4 years of area income·Overall A · #13 of 151
100Stonington18,832 peopleD5.6 years of area income·Overall A− · #47 of 151
101Newtown28,183 peopleD4.8 years of area income·Overall B+ · #61 of 151
102Farmington28,632 peopleD5.2 years of area income·Overall A− · #29 of 151
103Trumbull38,075 peopleD5.9 years of area income·Overall B+ · #66 of 151
104Wolcott16,573 peopleD4.5 years of area income·Overall A− · #46 of 151
105New Fairfield13,674 peopleD5.3 years of area income·Overall B+ · #63 of 151
106Groton39,138 peopleD3.9 years of area income·Overall B− · #97 of 151
107Ledyard15,601 peopleD4.8 years of area income·Overall B+ · #67 of 151
108Old Lyme7,702 peopleD7.1 years of area income·Overall A · #12 of 151
109Old Saybrook10,680 peopleD7.3 years of area income·Overall A− · #51 of 151
110West Hartford64,242 peopleD4.3 years of area income·Overall B · #80 of 151
111Seymour17,153 peopleD4.9 years of area income·Overall B · #81 of 151
112Redding8,847 peopleD7.6 years of area income·Overall A+ · #4 of 151
113DanielsonWindham County · 4,265 peopleD3.5 years of area income·Overall D− · #147 of 151
114Avon19,096 peopleD6.1 years of area income·Overall A · #19 of 151
115Chester3,726 peopleD5.7 years of area income·Overall B · #86 of 151
116East Lyme19,223 peopleD6.1 years of area income·Overall A− · #32 of 151
117North Branford13,551 peopleD5.4 years of area income·Overall B · #76 of 151
118SheltonFairfield County · 42,880 peopleD6.2 years of area income·Overall B+ · #71 of 151
119MiddletownMiddlesex County · 48,439 peopleD4.6 years of area income·Overall C+ · #115 of 151
120Hamden61,824 peopleD4.2 years of area income·Overall C− · #133 of 151
121Woodbury10,005 peopleD6.1 years of area income·Overall B− · #102 of 151
122Branford28,724 peopleD5.2 years of area income·Overall B · #90 of 151
123Simsbury25,582 peopleD5.7 years of area income·Overall A · #21 of 151
124Ridgefield25,373 peopleD7.3 years of area income·Overall A+ · #2 of 151
125WaterburyNew Haven County · 115,771 peopleD4.4 years of area income·Overall D− · #150 of 151
126Easton7,838 peopleD8.6 years of area income·Overall A+ · #5 of 151
127NaugatuckNew Haven County · 32,230 peopleD5.4 years of area income·Overall C+ · #111 of 151
128Essex6,819 peopleD6.7 years of area income·Overall A− · #27 of 151
129Fairfield66,262 peopleD8.7 years of area income·Overall A− · #38 of 151
130Beacon Falls6,307 peopleD5.0 years of area income·Overall B− · #101 of 151
131GrotonNew London County · 10,160 peopleD6.8 years of area income·Overall C+ · #120 of 151
132NorwichNew London County · 40,001 peopleD4.7 years of area income·Overall D · #145 of 151
133MeridenNew Haven County · 60,810 peopleD5.0 years of area income·Overall D · #140 of 151
134Southbury20,468 peopleD5.2 years of area income·Overall B− · #96 of 151
135Middlefield4,276 peopleD4.5 years of area income·Overall B− · #106 of 151
136Sharon2,783 peopleD6.3 years of area income·Overall C · #125 of 151
137Madison17,734 peopleD8.2 years of area income·Overall A · #9 of 151
138Guilford22,322 peopleD7.2 years of area income·Overall A− · #40 of 151
139Orange14,416 peopleD5.6 years of area income·Overall B · #91 of 151
140New LondonNew London County · 28,003 peopleD5.0 years of area income·Overall D · #144 of 151
141DanburyFairfield County · 89,033 peopleD−5.4 years of area income·Overall C− · #135 of 151
142DerbyNew Haven County · 12,925 peopleD−5.3 years of area income·Overall D · #142 of 151
143New BritainHartford County · 76,286 peopleD−5.3 years of area income·Overall D− · #149 of 151
144AnsoniaNew Haven County · 19,216 peopleD−5.9 years of area income·Overall C− · #137 of 151
145Westport28,301 peopleD−18.1 years of area income·Overall A · #14 of 151
146HartfordHartford County · 121,981 peopleD−3.5 years of area income·Overall D− · #151 of 151
147Weston10,517 peopleD−8.7 years of area income·Overall A+ · #8 of 151
148BristolHartford County · 62,341 peopleD−6.0 years of area income·Overall C · #124 of 151
149West HavenNew Haven County · 55,351 peopleD−5.6 years of area income·Overall C− · #132 of 151
150Darien22,583 peopleD−21.6 years of area income·Overall A · #11 of 151
151New HavenNew Haven County · 138,774 peopleD−5.2 years of area income·Overall D− · #148 of 151
152Greenwich64,801 peopleD−14.8 years of area income·Overall A · #17 of 151
153NorwalkFairfield County · 94,508 peopleD−7.4 years of area income·Overall C+ · #109 of 151
154New Canaan21,208 peopleD−14.1 years of area income·Overall A+ · #7 of 151
155StamfordFairfield County · 139,535 peopleD−7.9 years of area income·Overall C+ · #119 of 151
Quick answers

Questions people ask

What is the most affordable town in Connecticut?

Canterbury () ranks first on cost of living among 155 towns, with a B+; Columbia and Monroe follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Cost of living grade: home values, rent and property-tax bills against the income of the town’s metro area or county, and the share of households paying 30%+ of income for housing (Census ACS). Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a cost of living grade (155 in Connecticut). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Connecticut page.

Go deeper

More Connecticut lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Connecticut rankings →
Best places to live151 towns · #1 MonroeBest small towns54 towns · #1 ReddingSafest towns90 towns · #1 WestonTowns with the best schools152 towns · #1 New CanaanHealthiest towns154 towns · #1 DarienBest towns for jobs & income155 towns · #1 BethanyMost walkable towns155 towns · #1 New HavenTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk155 towns · #1 HebronBest towns for the outdoors155 towns · #1 GlastonburyMost historic towns155 towns · #1 New LondonTowns with the most civic life155 towns · #1 SalisburyTowns with the least snow149 towns · #1 East LymeDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns149 towns · #1 GoshenDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters155 towns · #1 Darien and StamfordDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers155 towns · #1 Windsor LocksDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers155 towns · #1 GoshenDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes155 towns · #1 Darien and 3 moreDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes142 towns · #1 Windsor LocksDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns155 towns · #1 GranbyDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries123 towns · #1 New CanaanDescribed, no letters
Other states

Most affordable towns in other states

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