Connecticut - A Great Place to Live, If You Can Afford It
According to a July 7, 2026, University of New Hampshire survey, more than four in ten Connecticut residents want to pack up and leave the state—with many seeking lower taxes and a more manageable cost of living.
And yet, herein lies the paradox: a majority of residents simultaneously maintain that the Nutmeg State is a "good" or "very good" place to live, a sentiment held particularly by older residents and Democrats.
The problem isn't the quality of life; it's the price tag. Consider these staggering takeaways from the poll:
The Affordability Crisis: Only one in six residents describe Connecticut as affordable. Flipped on its head, that means roughly 83% of your neighbors view the state as fundamentally unaffordable.
The Impending Exodus: Four in ten residents say they are likely to move out of the state within the next five years. That desire to flee is higher than any other surveyed New England state this month.
The Migration Map: If forced to leave, more than one-third of state residents say they would head South—with Florida and the Carolinas topping the list—while 30% would simply shuffle elsewhere in New England.
Lower housing costs, overall cost of living, and taxes, along with a different political or social environment are mentioned most often as reasons Connecticut residents are likely to move out of state.
Between the Lines: Geez—We all know Connecticut's taxes and utility bills are notoriously high, but what should we make of the respondents who cited a desire for a "different political or social environment" as the reason for leaving? Is it possible that being the pizza capital of the United States just doesn't cut it?