Moving to Washington from Connecticut

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from Connecticut to Washington — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from Connecticut to Washington, you would find that Washington is 3.5% cheaper than Connecticut. A $75,000 salary in Connecticut would need to be roughly $66,622 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Connecticut to Washington.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $66,622

To maintain the same standard of living in Washington

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 4.9% less

Groceries

pay 11.5% less

Transportation

pay 11.3% more

Housing

pay 10.5% less

Childcare

pay 3.5% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 7.6% less

See full cost of living breakdown

Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Connecticut to Washington.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

CT
147
WA
349
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

CT
1528
WA
2819

Connecticut performs better than Washington across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

CT
5.1%
WA
6.1%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

CT
31.3%
WA
31.1%

Washington generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Connecticut leads in uninsured rate.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

CT
$343,200
WA
$519,800
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

CT
$1,431
WA
$1,682

Connecticut performs better than Washington across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

CT
91.3%
WA
93.1%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

CT
27 min
WA
27 min

Connecticut generally does better on infrastructure, though Washington leads in internet access.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CT
4.1%
WA
5.3%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

CT
$77,582
WA
$87,768

Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though Connecticut leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

CT
78.4 yrs
WA
79.2 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

CT
29%
WA
26%

Connecticut generally does better on family life, though Washington leads in life expectancy.

Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Bridgeport Rain: 47.7 in/yr (1212 mm)
61° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

Olympia Rain: 50.0 in/yr (1270 mm)
60° / 41°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Bridgeport Olympia
Jan–Mar 42°/23°F (6°/-5°C) 50°/34°F (10°/1°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/49°F (20°/10°C) 65°/43°F (18°/6°C)
Jul–Sep 80°/62°F (26°/16°C) 76°/49°F (24°/10°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/34°F (12°/1°C) 51°/36°F (11°/2°C)
View all months
Month Bridgeport Olympia
Jan 38°/20°F (3.1°/-6.9°C) 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C)
Feb 41°/21°F (4.9°/-6.0°C) 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C)
Mar 47°/29°F (8.6°/-1.7°C) 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C)
Apr 59°/40°F (15.1°/4.2°C) 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C)
May 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C)
Jun 78°/59°F (25.7°/15.1°C) 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C)
Jul 83°/65°F (28.1°/18.3°C) 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C)
Aug 82°/64°F (27.6°/17.7°C) 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C)
Sep 75°/56°F (23.7°/13.1°C) 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.4°/6.5°C) 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C)
Nov 54°/34°F (12.1°/1.3°C) 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C)
Dec 43°/24°F (6.1°/-4.2°C) 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Washington than Connecticut?

Yes — Washington is on average about 11% cheaper than Connecticut. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Washington?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $16,656 in Washington on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Washington safe?

Connecticut performs better than Washington across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Washington compared to Connecticut?

Washington generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Connecticut leads in uninsured rate.

What's the weather like in Washington compared to Connecticut?

The average high temperature in Olympia is 60°F, compared to 61°F in Bridgeport. Olympia receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Bridgeport gets 47.7 in.

Share this