Places › Connecticut › Meriden

Living in Meriden, CT

Small city in Connecticut

Meriden is a small city in Connecticut, home to about 60,000 people, with 1.4 million living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is Meriden a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Mild summers: highs around 82°F
  • Easy flying: BDL is 29 mi away
  • Strong healthcare: 5 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Great outdoors: hills or mountains nearby

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $3,118 state income tax per resident, 2.22% property tax
  • Fewer graduates: 22% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Cloudier than most places

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Meriden ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
60,000
1.4 million within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
39°F / 82°F
Average daily highs · 39″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$350k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,430/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
100
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,118
State income tax per resident · 2.22% property tax
Safety
0.7× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
12 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, hurricanes
Top-rated hospitals
5
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
22%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
BDL
29 mi away

Living in Meriden: common questions

What is the cost of living in Meriden?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $350k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,430 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 100, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Meriden?

Connecticut collects about $3,118 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.22% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Meriden safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.7× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Meriden?

Meriden has cold winters: winter days average around 39°F and summer days around 82°F, with roughly 39″ of snow a year.

Does Meriden get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 12 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.14 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Meriden?

The nearest major airport is BDL, about 29 mi away.

How Meriden scores

Each bar compares Meriden with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Mid-size Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Urban & suburban mix Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Nature nearby Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Average cost Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Moderate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly apartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Good
💸Low taxes Poor
💼Job market Average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Below average
🧸Kids & family Good
🐕Dog-friendly Average
⛰️Outdoors Excellent
🎭Culture Average
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Below average
🌤️Mild summers Excellent
✈️Airport Excellent

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Is Meriden right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.