Is Connecticut a good state for your salary to go far?

Connecticut ranks #10 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 103.4 across 367 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 103.6 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.

What is the cost of living in Connecticut?

Connecticut's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 103.6, where the US average is 100. That is above the national average, so a dollar buys less than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Connecticut

Where Your Salary Goes Furthest in Connecticut

Connecticut ranks #10 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index (mean 103.4, base = 100). Cost of living 103.6 (US = 100); top income tax 6.99%.

Does a salary go further in Connecticut? (cost of living + state tax)

In Connecticut, the cost of living is 103.6 on the BEA index (US = 100) and the Gera US Real Pay Index averages 103.4 across 367 occupations, ranking it #10 of 51 states for how far pay goes after 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Real BLS OEWS; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

Connecticut ranks #10 of 51 states. Mean across 367 occupations; 100 = the average state, 103.4 means pay goes 3.4% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

103.4

Real pay by occupation in Connecticut (best first)

Occupation	BLS median	Real pay	Index
Opticians, Dispensing	$75,300	$70,199	145.8
Private Detectives and Investigators	$75,010	$69,935	135.0
Career/Technical Education Teachers, Secondary School	$100,810	$93,466	132.9
Education Administrators, Kindergarten through Secondary	$156,240	$143,824	131.6
Kindergarten Teachers, Except Special Education	$90,030	$83,634	131.1
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Workers	$78,640	$73,246	128.9
Middle School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	$93,610	$86,899	127.8
Telecommunications Line Installers and Repairers	$97,140	$90,119	127.4
Construction and Building Inspectors	$98,670	$91,514	127.3
Library Technicians	$57,060	$53,486	127.3
Tax Examiners and Collectors, and Revenue Agents	$89,140	$82,822	127.1
Exercise Trainers and Group Fitness Instructors	$61,580	$57,653	126.9
Financial Examiners	$120,530	$111,426	126.7
Firefighters	$77,630	$72,324	126.6
Special Education Teachers, Middle School	$92,900	$86,252	126.4
Eligibility Interviewers, Government Programs	$71,940	$67,135	126.2
Control and Valve Installers and Repairers, Except Mechanical Door	$104,690	$97,005	126.0
Child, Family, and School Social Workers	$78,970	$73,547	125.1
Paving, Surfacing, and Tamping Equipment Operators	$77,480	$72,188	124.6
Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators	$78,820	$73,410	122.8
Personal Financial Advisors	$129,720	$119,763	122.5
Bus Drivers, School	$61,520	$57,597	121.5
Editors	$85,950	$79,913	120.9
English Language and Literature Teachers, Postsecondary	$97,310	$90,274	120.1
Electrical Power-Line Installers and Repairers	$126,850	$117,160	120.0
Stationary Engineers and Boiler Operators	$94,870	$88,049	119.9
Property Appraisers and Assessors	$86,050	$80,004	119.7
Highway Maintenance Workers	$64,870	$60,685	118.7
General and Operations Managers	$137,220	$126,568	118.4
Instructional Coordinators	$96,170	$89,234	118.0
Computer, Automated Teller, and Office Machine Repairers	$61,190	$57,293	117.7
Producers and Directors	$88,260	$82,020	117.6
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians	$94,940	$88,112	117.6
Paramedics	$77,480	$72,188	117.0
Loan Officers	$95,730	$88,833	116.9
Legal Secretaries and Administrative Assistants	$66,220	$61,918	116.9
Security and Fire Alarm Systems Installers	$75,410	$70,300	116.8
Psychiatric Technicians	$55,500	$52,049	116.6
Self-Enrichment Teachers	$55,240	$51,809	116.4
Cooks, Short Order	$42,450	$40,020	116.3

Showing the 40 highest real-pay occupations of 367 BLS publishes for Connecticut. Real pay = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the 2024 BEA cost of living (103.6, US = 100).

Where does your salary go furthest?

Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In Connecticut, a $85,000 salary is worth about $76,304 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $5,942 (≈ top marginal 6.99% (upper bound)) · take-home $79,059 · BEA cost of living 103.6 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $19,648 gain over Connecticut.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$95,952	88.6
2	Arkansas	$93,959	86.9
3	Louisiana	$93,473	88.2
4	Mississippi	$93,453	87.0
5	Iowa	$93,172	87.8
6	North Dakota	$93,161	89.0
7	Tennessee	$92,522	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$92,167	87.8
9	Wyoming	$91,703	92.7
10	Alabama	$90,911	88.8
11	Kentucky	$90,507	90.2
12	West Virginia	$90,397	89.5

Browse US jobs with salaries

Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).

Connecticut real pay — FAQ

Is Connecticut a good state for your salary to go far?: Connecticut ranks #10 of 51 states on the Gera US Real Pay Index, with a mean index of 103.4 across 367 occupations (100 = the average state). Its 2024 BEA cost of living is 103.6 (US = 100), and its 2025 state income tax schedule is applied to each occupation's median wage.
What is the cost of living in Connecticut?: Connecticut's Regional Price Parity (All Items) for 2024 is 103.6, where the US average is 100. That is above the national average, so a dollar buys less than it does nationally. The Gera US Real Pay Index divides take-home pay by this figure to express salaries in purchasing-power-equivalent dollars.

Compare other states

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for Connecticut is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.