Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety68#300/924
Economy71#269/925
Housing5#879/925
Health87#120/925
Healthcare92#75/923
Environment38#573/917
Education86#131/925
Infrastructure91#80/925
Community51#458/925
Leisure & amenities92#77/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where New Haven, CT metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Distance to an airport · low8 mi
100/100Connecticut 18 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Distance to an Amtrak station · low3 mi
99/100Connecticut 8 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Firearm deaths · low4.0 /100k
99/100Connecticut 4.5 /100kUnited States 12.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties
Access to exercise opportunities · high95.1%
97/100Connecticut 93.3%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Public transit commuters · high3.0%
97/100Connecticut 3.3%United States 3.2%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08301
Suicide rate · low9.6 /100k
97/100Connecticut 10.1 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties

Weaknesses

Child care cost burden · high48.2%
1/100Connecticut 39.8%United States 27.9%2023 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
High ozone days · high12 days
1/100Connecticut 10 daysUnited States 7 days2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Effective property tax rate · high1.82%
3/100Connecticut 1.54%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Days with unhealthy air · high3.6%
8/100Connecticut 3.5%2025U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Severe housing problems · high19.0%
10/100Connecticut 17.4%United States 16.8%2017-2021University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Drug overdose deaths · high29.0 /100k
11/100Connecticut 20.7 /100kUnited States 18.4 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
0% (2021) → 25% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+25 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Child care cost burdenWorsening
26.0% (2020 & 2021) → 48.2% (2023 & 2024)
+22 pts3 yearsUS 24.5% → 27.9%
Distance to an airportImproving
35 mi (2020) → 8 mi (2025)
−76%5 yearsUS 33 mi → 33 mi
Cost of buying a home todayWorsening
26.3% (Dec 2021) → 38.2% (Aug 2026)
+12 pts5 yearsUS 26.4% → 34.1%
Firearm deathsImproving
9.5 /100k (2021) → 4.0 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−58%5 yearsUS 14.7 /100k → 12.1 /100k
Homicide rateImproving
6.6 /100k (2021) → 3.1 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−53%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, New Haven, CT metro area improved on 13 of 24 measures with a comparison and declined on 5. 4 moved within the margin of error and 2 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved13

Bachelor's++7 points35.0% → 42.0%
Commute−2.0 min25.5 min → 23.5 min
Firearm deaths−46%7.4 /100k → 4.0 /100k
Airport−27 mi35 mi → 8 mi
Violent crime−39%258 /100k → 158 /100k

Declined5

Libraries−12%0.5 /10k → 0.5 /10k
Transit use−0.8 points3.8% → 3.0%
Traffic deaths+21%8.6 /100k → 10.4 /100k
Suicides+5.5%9.1 /100k → 9.6 /100k
Price / income+0.4×3.6× → 4.0×

All 24 measures

Change of every measure of New Haven, CT metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	25.5 min2015-2019	23.5 min2020-2024	−2.0 min	Improved	96%
Bachelor's degree or higher	35.0%2015-2019	42.0%2020-2024	+7 points	Improved	99%
Broadband subscriptions	83.2%2015-2019	92.4%2020-2024	+9.1 points	Improved	52%
Child poverty rate	17.3%2015-2019	14.6%2020-2024	−2.6 points	Improved	54%
Distance to an airport	35 mi2020	8 mi2025	−27 mi	Improved	98%
Drug overdose deaths	44.6 /100k2020	29.0 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−35%	Improved	63%
Effective property tax rate	2.16%2015-2019	1.82%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Little change	94%
Firearm deaths	7.4 /100k2020	4.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−46%	Improved	98%
High school diploma or higher	90.1%2015-2019	92.1%2020-2024	+2 points	Improved	61%
Home price to income ratio	3.6×2015-2019	4.0×2020-2024	+0.4×	Declined	50%
Homicide rate	6.2 /100k2020	3.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−50%	Improved	77%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4692015-2019	0.4772020-2024	+0.008	Little change	32%
Median household income	$69,9052015-2019	$88,1972020-2024	+26%	Improved	46%
Poverty rate	11.7%2015-2019	11.4%2020-2024	−0.3 points	Within the margin of error	34%
Property crime rate	2,151 /100k2020	2,005 /100k2025	−6.8%	Improved	10%
Public libraries	0.5 /10k2019	0.5 /10k2024	−12%	Declined	9%
Public transit commuters	3.8%2015-2019	3.0%2020-2024	−0.8 points	Declined	19%
Rent as share of income	31.6%2015-2019	31.9%2020-2024	+0.3 points	Within the margin of error	53%
Rent-burdened households	52.8%2015-2019	53.5%2020-2024	+0.7 points	Within the margin of error	52%
Suicide rate	9.1 /100k2020	9.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+5.5%	Declined	48%
Traffic deaths	8.6 /100k2015-2019	10.4 /100k2020-2024	+21%	Declined	27%
Unemployment rate	7.8%2020	4.1%2025	−3.7 points	Improved	72%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	5.9%2015-2019	5.8%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	45%
Violent crime rate	258 /100k2020	158 /100k2025	−39%	Improved	87%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 708 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master files; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like New Haven, CT metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of New Haven, CT metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, New Haven, CT metro area itself moved +4 points in standing on average over the same 23 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

570,598 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

230,673 households (±1,113)

New Haven, CT metro area
United States share

Under $25k14%33,176
$25k–50k15%34,720
$50k–75k14%31,938

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

230,673 households (±1,113)

New Haven, CT metro area
United States share

Own61%139,620
Rent39%91,053

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: Own (−1.3 points).

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

282,730 workers (±3,007)

New Haven, CT metro area
United States share

Drive alone69%196,215
Carpool7.2%20,345
Public transit3.0%8,399

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in New Haven, CT employ 65,060 people. 10 pay a median above the US median.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in New Haven, CT by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Registered Nurses10,050 jobs	10,050	$104,490US $97,550	+7%	1.64×
Stockers and Order Fillers9,430 jobs	9,430	$43,840US $37,330	+17%	1.84×
Home Health and Personal Care Aides7,370 jobs	7,370	$39,720US $35,800	+11%	0.95×
Retail Salespersons6,810 jobs	6,810	$35,950US $35,410	+2%	0.97×
Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners6,210 jobs	6,210	$37,890US $36,840	+3%	1.55×
Fast Food and Counter Workers5,900 jobs	5,900	$35,290US $31,200	+13%	0.85×
General and Operations Managers5,750 jobs	5,750	$134,450US $105,770	+27%	0.91×
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive4,780 jobs	4,780	$63,800US $47,540	+34%	1.55×
Cashiers4,500 jobs	4,500	$35,670US $32,880	+8%	0.8×
First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers4,260 jobs	4,260	$78,990US $69,500	+14%	1.64×

Look up any occupation

Search more than 800 occupations and see what they pay in New Haven, CT.

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, 2025-05 (all industries and ownerships) bls.gov/oes

Reference period: 2025-05. BLS publishes metro areas, states and the nation (not counties or cities), so a county or city page shows its metro area.
Pay is not adjusted for the cost of living, so a higher median does not mean more purchasing power.
BLS caps the highest wages it publishes: where a figure is shown as “or more”, the real value is at least that much.
Some occupations (teachers, performers) are published by the hour or school year and shown here as an annual figure.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

New Haven, CT has 13,779 employer establishments, 241 for every 10,000 residents (0.97× the US rate of 248), with 263,675 paid employees at an average annual pay of $65,048. The Census Bureau also counts 50,322 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 13,779; 50,322 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 241; US 248
Paid employees: 263,675
Average annual pay: $65,048; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of New Haven, CT by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	1,361	23.8	1.14×About typical	30,227	$76,033	3,166
Restaurants and other eating places	1,259	22	1.20×About typical	17,914	$24,754	295
Specialty trade contractors	863	15.1	0.97×About typical	6,773	$79,697	2,858
Full-service restaurants	566	9.9	1.29×More than typical	9,297	$28,014	104
Limited-service restaurants	494	8.6	1.08×About typical	6,097	$21,544	135
Offices of physicians	456	8	1.23×About typical	16,193	$89,698	687
Lessors of real estate	421	7.4	0.60×Fewer than typical	2,376	$52,178	5,746
Building equipment contractors	400	7	1.16×About typical	3,395	$83,267	622
Personal care services	400	7	1.46×More than typical	2,031	$27,972	1,826
Services to buildings and dwellings	376	6.6	0.97×About typical	4,935	$34,910	2,019
Legal services	368	6.4	1.20×About typical	2,199	$104,506	607
Offices of other health practitioners	331	5.8	0.95×About typical	1,881	$45,644	1,654

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 572,366 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $198.7M on contracts performed in New Haven, CT metro area: $343 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $198.7M; −20% vs FY2025
Per resident: $343; US $1,994
Sole-source: 26%; US 30%
Single offer: 13%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of Veterans Affairs$102.5M52%
Defense Logistics Agency$32.2M16%
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services$9.9M5.0%
Department of the Navy$7.3M3.7%
Federal Acquisition Service$7.1M3.6%
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Administration and Management$7M3.5%
Office of Procurement Operations$6.7M3.4%
Department of the Army$6.5M3.3%

Top recipients

BRICAN, INC.$27.2M14%
YALE UNIV$11.1M5.6%
YALE NEW HAVEN HEALTH SERVICES CORPORATION$9.9M5.0%
NUMET ACQUISITION NUMET, INC.$7.9M4.0%
THE BIZZELL GROUP LLC$7M3.5%

Spending by fiscal year

1.9MFY2017
2.7MFY2018
12.5MFY2019
11.2MFY2020
5MFY2021
25.7MFY2022
39.4MFY2023
85.7MFY2024

Top industries (NAICS)

Nonresidential building construction · 2362$45.6M23%
Aerospace product and parts manufacturing · 3364$20.5M10%
Navigational, measuring, electromedical, and control instruments manufacturing · 3345$12M6.0%
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$10.5M5.3%
Scientific research and development services · 5417$9.6M4.8%

Largest awards

BIOMEDICAL (ADVANCED)$146.7M
PROTEIN SCIENCES CORP· South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT· Research & development· Dec 16, 2016 – Sep 9, 2026· HHSO100200900106C
UPGRADE OPERATING ROOM UTILITIES AT VA CONNECTICUT HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, WEST HAVEN CAMPUS - PROJECT 689-21-111$36.4M
IRONCLAD SERVICES INC· South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT· Construction & real property· Jul 29, 2024 – Aug 5, 2026· 36C24124C0074
OPERATIONS OF THE NEW HAVEN JOB CORPS CENTER WITH OUTREACH AND ADMISSIONS AND CAREER TRANSITION SERVICES.$31.1M
THE BIZZELL GROUP LLC· South Central Connecticut Planning Region, CT· Education & social services· Oct 28, 2022 – Sep 21, 2026· 1605JE23C0002

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $4.3B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for New Haven, CT metro area: $7,499 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $4.3B; −2.3% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,499; US $12,955
Loan face value: $10.8B; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.0%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$2.4B56%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$254.2M5.9%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$169.5M3.9%
14.871 · Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers$148.7M3.4%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$118.9M2.7%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$112.5M2.6%
93.242 · Mental Health Research Grants$85.8M2.0%
93.855 · Allergy and Infectious Diseases Research$61.3M1.4%

Top recipients (organizations)

YALE UNIV$689.3M16%
NEW HAVEN, CT
HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF NEW HAVEN$118.5M2.7%
NEW HAVEN, CT
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION CONNECTICUT$113M2.6%
NEWINGTON, CT
WEST HAVEN HOUSING AUTHORITY$23.9M0.6%
WEST HAVEN, CT
SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$3B69%
National Institutes of Health$647.2M15%
Department of Health and Human Services
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing$166.5M3.8%
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$145.1M3.3%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration

Assistance by fiscal year

-6.2MFY2022
149MFY2023
1.1BFY2024
4.4BFY2025
4.3BFY2026

County aggregates

73%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2022–FY2026.

Counties in New Haven, CT

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

South Central Connecticut Planning RegionCentral county74578,741

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

New HavenPrincipal city134,349

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Connecticut

Areas based in Connecticut, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M35300

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved13

Declined5

Metro and micro areas like New Haven, CT metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Look up any occupation

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in New Haven, CT

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Connecticut

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved13

Declined5

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought