Cost of Living: Top of Mind Among CT Voters as We Head into Presidential Election

Written by Meghan Holden | June 10, 2024

“I make sure all my money goes to basic essentials, and I’m still living paycheck-to-paycheck. I’m not being irresponsible with my money.”

As we head into a presidential election year, the cost of living is top of mind for many Connecticut voters. Recently, The Connecticut Project sat down with voters from across the state. The cost of living came up as most important to them, over and over again.

Thousands of people in our state are struggling to get by, let alone get ahead. Connecticut families are feeling the pressure. We often heard how people were careful with family budgets, but after a trip to the grocery store, gas station, and paying rent, for many, there was little to nothing left over.

“I budget,” one man told us. “I make sure all my money goes to basic essentials, and I’m still living paycheck-to-paycheck. I’m not being irresponsible with my money.”

While the cost of living is a struggle for people making minimum wage or below, people making more than that are struggling, too. In reality, it takes more than $126,000 per year for a family of four in Connecticut to make ends meet – and more than 552,000 households in Connecticut make less than that.

“I make the most money I’ve ever made, and somehow after I pay bills, I have nothing left,” one woman told us.

“My salary may be considered a good salary, but when you take into account rent, food, gas, and taxes, my salary does not go far,” said one man.

The Numbers Don't Lie

Connecticut's cost of living is 13% higher than the national average.
Housing is 24% higher than the national average.
Connecticut has the fifth highest child care costs in the country
Utility costs are 30% higher in the state compared to the rest of the country.
Food is about 9% higher in Connecticut.
The cost of clothing is approximately 9% higher than the national average.
From regular doctor check-ups to dentistry, healthcare expenses are about 9% more in Connecticut.
For entertainment and personal care services, residents pay around 9% more than the national average.

These costs make it difficult for families to save for the future or afford basic necessities.

Or, as one person put it, “Everything went up except our pay.”

Setting a New Horizon

So, how can we ease the cost of living for everyone? By mobilizing communities and empowering people, we can change even the biggest systems so they enable our families to thrive. While the solutions might be complex, there are some clear places to start, including maximizing our state’s budget to reduce people’s biggest expenses. Connecticut is a state with many resources available, but the budget doesn’t always put money where it’s most needed.

If our state can ease the burdens of some of the most expensive monthly things in our families’ budgets, that will go a long way toward helping our dollars stretch further in other places.

Two clear places for the state to start are:

expanding access to affordable early childhood education; and
increasing affordable housing options across Connecticut.

Lots of people’s monthly payments for these kinds of big necessities are stretching their budgets thin.

When it comes to child care, there are around 200,000 children under the age of five in Connecticut, and most of them have parents who work. But finding and affording early education is difficult for many families. Or, as one parent told us, “You’re literally using all your income on child care, and then it comes back to the question, what’s the point of even working to begin with?”

Meanwhile, everyone in Connecticut needs a place to call home. But the costs of renting or owning homes are out of reach for many people in our state. One voter told us about how their rent was twice their monthly income – and their story of being underwater with housing was not unique.

“We want to stay in [our town],” another person said. “It’s just that it’s so expensive. Housing is so expensive.”

It doesn’t have to be this way.

In the coming months, the Governor and legislators will begin setting Connecticut’s budget. By this time in 2025, the final budget will be almost complete. Before they do, it’s up to all of us to push for them to make sure the budget eases the cost of living by increasing access to big-ticket items like housing and child care.

The high cost of living in Connecticut may seem daunting, but there's strength in community — change is possible. Join the Movement.

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