State Rankings

Where Connecticut Ranks

How Connecticut compares with all 50 states and DC on the figures Alto tracks.

Sales tax

6.35%

the 19th lowest of 51

State sales tax plus the population-weighted average local rate — what shoppers actually pay at the register.

Tax Foundation (July 2026)

Minimum wage

$16.94/hr

the 3rd highest of 51

What a worker covered by federal labor law is actually paid at minimum — the state rate, or the $7.25 federal floor where that is higher.

U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division (July 2026)

Median household income

$93,760

the 9th highest of 50

Median annual income for a household in the state — half of households earn more, half earn less.

U.S. Census Bureau (2023)

Unemployment rate

5.2%

tied for the 2nd highest of 51

Share of the labor force that is out of work and actively looking, seasonally adjusted. People who have stopped looking are not counted.

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (June 2026)

Connecticut in context: state gas tax

RankStateGas tax
#28Wisconsin33¢/gal
#32Nevada34¢/gal
#33Connecticut35¢/gal
#34West Virginia36¢/gal
#35Rhode Island37¢/gal

Connecticut in context: sales tax

RankStateSales tax
#17Massachusetts6.25%
#18Pennsylvania6.34%
#19Connecticut6.35%
#20Vermont6.43%
#21New Jersey6.60%

Connecticut in context: minimum wage

RankStateMinimum wage
#1District of Columbia$18.40/hr
#2Washington$17.13/hr
#3Connecticut$16.94/hr
#4California$16.90/hr
#5Hawaii$16.00/hr

Connecticut in context: median household income

RankStateHousehold income
#7Utah$95,800
#8California$95,521
#9Connecticut$93,760
#10Colorado$92,911
#11Virginia$92,277

Connecticut in context: unemployment rate

RankStateUnemployment
#45Nevada5.1%
#47California5.2%
#47Connecticut5.2%
#47Oregon5.2%
#47Washington5.2%

Compare another state

In Connecticut, the minimum wage is the 3rd highest in the country and the household income is the 9th highest. Here is how Connecticut compares with every other state on the published figures Alto tracks, with a link to the source behind each one.

Rankings are a starting point, not a verdict. None of these figures are adjusted for cost of living, which varies enough between states to change what a given income or wage actually buys.

Connecticut gas tax

Drivers in Connecticut pay 35¢/gal in state gasoline tax, the 19th highest of the 51, before the 18.4¢ federal tax that applies everywhere.

Connecticut sales tax

Connecticut charges a 6.35% state sales tax, and local rates average a further 0.00%, for about 6.35% at the register. That is the 19th lowest of the 51. Rate is not the whole story though — states differ in what they tax, and most exempt groceries.

Connecticut minimum wage

The minimum wage in Connecticut is $16.94/hr, the 3rd highest of the 51 states and DC, as of July 2026.

Connecticut household income

A typical Connecticut household earns $93,760 a year, the 9th highest of the 50. That is a raw Census figure with no adjustment for how far a dollar goes locally.

What these rankings leave out

Cost of living is the big absent variable, and it moves enough between states to reverse some of these comparisons outright. Property and income taxes are not counted here either, so a state can look cheap on sales and fuel tax while taking more overall. Treat these as specific, well-sourced data points rather than a summary of what living in Connecticut costs.

Connecticut Rankings — Frequently Asked Questions

What is the sales tax in Connecticut?
Connecticut charges a 6.35% state sales tax, and local rates average a further 0.00%, for about 6.35% at the register. That is the 19th lowest combined rate of the 51 states and DC, as of July 2026.
What is the minimum wage in Connecticut?
The minimum wage in Connecticut is $16.94/hr, the 3rd highest of the 51 states and DC, as of July 2026.
What is the gas tax in Connecticut?
Connecticut levies 35¢/gal in state gasoline tax, the 19th highest of the 51 states and DC. The federal government adds 18.4¢ per gallon on top of that everywhere. Figures are as of 2025.
What is the median household income in Connecticut?
The median household income in Connecticut is $93,760, the 9th highest among the 50 states, per Census data for 2023. Median means half of households earn more and half earn less, and the figure is not adjusted for cost of living.
Is Connecticut a high tax state?
On the taxes ranked here, its combined sales tax is the 19th lowest in the country at 6.35% and its gas tax is the 19th highest at 35¢/gal. Those are two taxes among many though — income and property taxes vary independently, so a state can rank low on both of these and still take more overall.
Connecticut State Rankings: Taxes, Wages & Income | Alto