Moving to Hartford, CT

Thinking about moving to Hartford?

You’ll find excellent educational opportunities, tons of history,
and yes, plenty of jobs at insurance companies.

Living

Hartford is home to 123,243 Hartfordians. With an area of 17.4 square miles, Hartford has a population density of 7,083 persons per square mile, which makes it more dense than many other cities of comparable size.

The Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT Metropolitan Statistical Area boasts a population of 1,206,836 people, of which Hartford proper’s population makes up 10%.

Housing

Affordable housing is one of best things Hartford has going for it. The median home value in Hartford is $99,100, -51% below the US median value, according to Zillow. The median price per square foot in Hartford is $79. Over the past 5 years, home values in Hartford have decreased by -1%.

Renters in Hartford will also have an easy time finding affordable housing. The median rent in Hartford is $1,253 per month, which is 12% lower than the US median. Over the past year, rental rates in Hartford have increased by 5.6%.

Economy

Hartford’s economy has been a bit sluggish over the past few years. The Hartford metro area’s GDP grew by 9% between 2011 and 2016, from $82.8 billion in 2011 to $90.0 billion in 2016, a total increase of $7.2 billion. The metro area has a per capita GDP of $74,578. According to the US Census Bureau, the median household income in Hartford is $69,869, 18% higher than the national median. Hartford’s unemployment rate is 5.2%.

Weather

The average annual temperature in Hartford is 49.8 degrees. The average annual low temperature is 39.5 degrees, while the average annual high is 60.1 degrees. Hartford’s hottest month is July, during which the average high temperature is 84 degrees, while the coldest month is January, when the average low drops down to 16 degrees.

Hartford sees an average rainfall of 44.23 inches per year. May is the wettest month, with an average rainfall of 3.98 inches, while February is the dryest month, with an average rainfall of 2.64 inches.

Crime

Hartford has an annual violent crime rate of violent crimes per 1,000 residents, which is lower than the national median of 3.8 in 1,000. Its property crime rate is crimes per 1,000 residents a year, which is lower than the national average of 26.

Traffic & Transportation

Ask anyone who lives in Hartford what the city’s biggest problems are and traffic will almost certainly be one of them. According to a survey conducted by INRIX, the average commuter in Hartford spends 18.8 hours in traffic each year, with about 6% of their time commuting in a traffic jam, a higher portion than average among US cities.

Walk Score gives Hartford a 71 walk score, a 62 transit score, and a 62 bike score.

Cost of Living

Hartford is an expensive place to live with a high cost of living. According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis‘s Regional Price Parity survey, which takes into account cost of living metrics including the price of goods and services and housing, Hartford has a regional price parity of 109.8, 0.3% above the average for US metro areas.

Demographics

The median age in Hartford is 40.3 years. 48.7% of the population in the Hartford metro area is male, while 51.3% is female. 12.8% of the metro population is foreign born.

In terms of racial demographics, Hartford is 16% Non-Hispanic White, 43% Hispanic, 35% Black, and 3% Asian.

71% of those over the age of 25 in Hartford have a high school diploma, a lower rate than nationally. 17% of those over the age of 25 have a bachelor’s degree, which is lower than the national rate. 6.5% of residents have an advanced or professional degree.

In the 2016 presidential election, 36% of Hartford voters voted for the Republican nominee, while 59% voted for the Democratic nominee.