Poverty and living standards in Connecticut, United States: official figures
The Census Bureau estimates that 10.1% of people in Connecticut lived below the federal poverty line in 2024, about 361,291 people; joint 13th lowest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 12.1%).
Has poverty in Connecticut gone up or down?
In 2019 the estimate for Connecticut was 9.9% (343,101 people), so the rate is up 0.2 percentage points over five years; the national rate moved from 12.3% to 12.1%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children live in poverty in Connecticut?
13.0% of children under 18 in Connecticut were in poverty in 2024, about 93,004 children; joint 22nd lowest among the 50 states and DC. For children under 5 the rate was 12.8% (U.S.: 15.5% for under-18s, 16.5% for under-5s).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Connecticut?
The Gini index of household income inequality in Connecticut was 0.4989 in 2024 (0 means every household has the same income, 1 means one household has it all); 3rd most unequal among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 0.4809).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Connecticut are cost-burdened?
54.1% of renting households in Connecticut spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2024, and 27.8% spent half or more; the 30% share is 6th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 51.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Connecticut get food stamps?
11.9% of households in Connecticut (173,433) said they received SNAP food benefits at some point in the previous 12 months in the 2024 American Community Survey; 18th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 11.8%). 43% of those households had incomes below the poverty line, and 53% of households below the poverty line did not receive SNAP.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people get SNAP in Connecticut?
An average of 369,295 people in Connecticut received SNAP benefits each month in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), down 5.6% on fiscal 2024 (391,204), according to USDA administrative data; nationally the average was 42.14 million.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow much are SNAP benefits in Connecticut?
SNAP benefits paid in Connecticut totaled $849.90 million in fiscal 2025, an average of $191.78 per person per month (U.S.: $189.36); 18th largest average benefit among the 50 states and DC.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Connecticut?
Local counts on a single night in January 2025 found 3,735 people experiencing homelessness in Connecticut, up 9.5% on 2024 (3,410) and up 23.1% on 2019 (3,033); 19th smallest count among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 745,652).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many homeless people in Connecticut sleep outside?
Of those counted in Connecticut in January 2025, 2,902 were in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 833 (22.3%) were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for housing; 21st lowest unsheltered share among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 35.7%).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyWho is homeless in Connecticut?
The January 2025 count in Connecticut included 1,010 people in families with children, 588 children under 18, 132 chronically homeless individuals and 177 veterans.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many households in Connecticut are food insecure?
On average over 2021 to 2023, 10.4% of households in Connecticut were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time in the year providing enough food because of a lack of resources; joint 15th lowest among the 50 states and DC and not statistically different from the national average of 12.2%, according to USDA.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyIs food insecurity in Connecticut getting worse?
4.4% of households in Connecticut had very low food security in 2021-23, with some members eating less or skipping meals. Overall food insecurity was 11.8% in 2018-20 and 13.4% in 2011-13; the move from 2018-20 to 2021-23 is -1.4 percentage points, a change USDA does not rate as statistically significant.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyHow Connecticut compares with other states
People in poverty (all ages) (2024)
Connecticut ranks 38 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | People in poverty (all ages) |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | Montana | 10.4% |
| 36 | Wisconsin | 10.3% |
| 37 | Alaska | 10.3% |
| 38 | Connecticut | 10.1% |
| 39 | Delaware | 10.1% |
| 40 | Washington | 10.0% |
| 41 | Hawaii | 10.0% |
Children under 18 in poverty (2024)
Connecticut ranks 30 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Children under 18 in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 27 | Illinois | 14.1% |
| 28 | Iowa | 13.1% |
| 29 | Oregon | 13.0% |
| 30 | Connecticut | 13.0% |
| 31 | Alaska | 12.9% |
| 32 | Kansas | 12.8% |
| 33 | Maine | 12.3% |
Gini index of household income inequality (2024)
Connecticut ranks 3 of 51, highest first. 0 = perfect equality, 1 = one household has all income
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 0.5244 |
| 2 | New York | 0.5186 |
| 3 | Connecticut | 0.4989 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 0.4922 |
| 5 | California | 0.4852 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 0.4820 |
| 7 | Illinois | 0.4802 |
Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent (2024)
Connecticut ranks 6 of 51, highest first. Share of renter households for which the ratio can be computed
| Rank | Region | Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | California | 55.8% |
| 4 | Hawaii | 55.0% |
| 5 | Louisiana | 54.1% |
| 6 | Connecticut | 54.1% |
| 7 | Georgia | 53.1% |
| 8 | Texas | 52.7% |
| 9 | South Carolina | 52.6% |
Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months (2024)
Connecticut ranks 18 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 15 | Alabama | 13.1% |
| 16 | Maine | 12.7% |
| 17 | North Carolina | 12.0% |
| 18 | Connecticut | 11.9% |
| 19 | Nevada | 11.9% |
| 20 | Mississippi | 11.9% |
| 21 | Ohio | 11.6% |
Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) (2021-2023)
Connecticut ranks 36 of 51, highest first. Low or very low food security
| Rank | Region | Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | Kansas | 10.6% |
| 34 | Montana | 10.6% |
| 35 | Maryland | 10.4% |
| 36 | Connecticut | 10.4% |
| 37 | Alaska | 10.4% |
| 38 | Virginia | 10.0% |
| 39 | Colorado | 9.9% |
People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) (2025)
Connecticut ranks 33 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | Utah | 4,584 |
| 31 | South Carolina | 4,398 |
| 32 | Alabama | 4,137 |
| 33 | Connecticut | 3,735 |
| 34 | Louisiana | 3,688 |
| 35 | Vermont | 3,386 |
| 36 | Iowa | 2,816 |
Share of homeless people who were unsheltered (2025)
Connecticut ranks 31 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | Share of homeless people who were unsheltered |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | South Dakota | 25.0% |
| 29 | Indiana | 23.0% |
| 30 | Utah | 22.8% |
| 31 | Connecticut | 22.3% |
| 32 | Minnesota | 21.7% |
| 33 | Iowa | 21.7% |
| 34 | Alaska | 21.6% |
People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) (FY2025)
Connecticut ranks 31 of 51, highest first. USDA FNS National Data Bank
| Rank | Region | People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | Nevada | 495,769 |
| 29 | New Mexico | 466,081 |
| 30 | Minnesota | 452,645 |
| 31 | Connecticut | 369,295 |
| 32 | Mississippi | 363,309 |
| 33 | West Virginia | 272,843 |
| 34 | Iowa | 264,523 |
More on Connecticut: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gini index of income inequality (B19083), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 dc8a2b21190b…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Receipt of food stamps/SNAP by poverty status for households (B22003), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53dc663e0426…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gross rent as a percentage of household income (B25070), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 edf1abe1970b…)
- USDA Economic Research Service: Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 (ERR-337), tables 4 and 5: food insecurity by State, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c0eebe273d83…)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: 2007-2025 Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness by State (2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c04ebcbe51c8…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2024 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cb52c47d75c1…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2019 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 229d90cb3e05…)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service: SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary, fiscal years 1969 to current (FY24.xlsx and FY25.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d31418fd3b4b…)
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