Connecticut and Massachusetts Compared

Connecticut and Massachusetts Two small New England states whose beginnings date back to important moments in the founding of these United States! And yes, they both have a lot in common. They're both just... really nice. According to the latest data, both are two of the richest states in the country. If we look only at GDP per capita, last year Massachusetts had the second highest in the country and Connecticut the fourth highest. Both states also have really high median incomes. Both have low poverty rates. Both have relatively low violent crime rates. Yeah, I know about New Haven, okay?

But no, overall they are both really nice and because of that, they both have a really high cost of living. That being said, Massachusetts is a bit more expensive overall. Both states have higher taxes than most other states in the country. Some people even refer to Massachusetts as “Taxachusetts” because of the stereotypical higher taxes. However, did you know that Connecticut has higher taxes overall? You did not do it? Well now you know, congratulations. They are both two of the smallest states in the country. That said, Massachusetts is about 1.6 times larger than Connecticut. Only two states, Delaware and Rhode Island, are smaller than Connecticut.

Both are part of the Northeast Megalopolis (mwhahahahahaha), a part of the country that contains more than 17 percent of its total population, or about 50 million people on less than 2 percent of the country's land area. The median age in both states is older than the national median age. (C- 41, M- 39.5) Residents of both states mostly trace their ancestry to European countries. However, both have become more ethnically diverse in recent years. 16.8% of the population of Massachusetts and 14.6% of the population of Connecticut were born in another country. That's higher than the national average. Both states have many Christians: Massachusetts is a center for Roman Catholics and Connecticut has a plurality of Protestants.

However, many in both states are not religious at all. Church attendance in both states has been steadily declining for decades. In fact, according to Pew Research, Massachusetts is the least religious state in the country. Both have one of the best higher educations in the world. And while the two big universities are Harvard in Cambridge, Massachusetts and Yale in New Haven, Connecticut, Massachusetts also has MIT, Boston University, Tufts University, Williams College, and Amherst College, just to name a few. Oh yeah? Well, Connecticut can boast Trinity College, Wesleyan University, UConn, Fairfield University, and Quinnipiac University, to name a few more.

And yes, both states have really high proportions of people with college degrees (C- 47.5%, M- 52.4%). Massachusetts tops this list. Connecticut is third. And both spend much more per student than the national average. In fact, Massachusetts was the first state in the country to pass a law requiring children to go to school. According to WalletHub, Massachusetts has the best public schools in the country. In second place? Well, Connecticut, of course. Politically, residents of both states lean left, but Massachusetts residents have elected more Republican governors in recent years. However, in the 1972 presidential election, Massachusetts was the only state to go for the Democratic candidate, George McGovern, and last voted for a Republican presidential candidate in 1984, while Connecticut last went for the Republican presidential candidate. in 1988.

Massachusetts is known for being a pioneering state on many issues, consistently ahead of its time throughout history, including being a major abolitionist state long before the Civil War and legalizing same-sex marriage in 2004. Hey, that rhymed accidentally. Still, because of this progressive trend, some conservative Republicans have historically attacked moderate Republicans and Democrats as “Massachusetts liberals.” THOSE DAMN LIBERALS. Oh, and I should say that Connecticut was the SECOND state to legalize same-sex marriage, just two years after Massachusetts. They both have similar climates. Most of the southern part of Connecticut and the eastern part of Massachusetts have a humid subtropical climate and an oceanic climate, while the northern part of Connecticut and the western part of Massachusetts have a humid continental climate.

They both have warm summers and cold winters. I guess Massachusetts is a little colder in the winter being a little further north. Both receive nor'easters, a special type of hurricane that becomes stronger with cold air. Both also occasionally suffer from hurricanes and traditional tropical storms. Despite their small size, both states have a wide variety of landscapes. The further west you go in Massachusetts, the hillier it gets until you reach the mountains. Uh, that is, the Appalachian Mountains. The northwestern part of Connecticut also has some of these mountains. Both also have many salt marshes and beautiful beaches.

Both border the Atlantic Ocean. The Connecticut River, the longest river in New England, flows through both states, and both major cities along the river have economic associations! Speaking of New England, Massachusetts borders every state in the region except Maine. But Maine used to be part of Massachusetts. And of course it borders Connecticut. I forgot to say that before. Connecticut itself not only borders Massachusetts, but it also borders Rhode Island and New York, and is in the tri-state area with New York and New Jersey! The official names of both states have Native American origins: Massachusetts comes from the native people of Massachsuett, while Connecticut is derived from the Mohegan-Pequot word "Quinnehtukqut" meaning "long-tide river." Hey, yeah, let's get into a little history now, shall we?

And for this episode I have special help from my friend Michael from the MatrixMachine channel. He'll give you a summary of the story, okay? Michael: Thank you Mr. Beat. What's happening friends? I have been given the opportunity to be a guest in this video but I can leave the thanks for later. Right now we have states to discuss. Connecticut and Massachusetts have their similarities, but when the “New England” moniker is removed from the two states, they become more independent of each other. A modern example would be football, in Massachusetts you can't go anywhere without seeing someone sad because a particular player is somewhere warmer in Florida, while Connecticut likes to diversify its grief with the Jets and Giants , who play at Metlife Stadium. ...in New Jersey.

But sports distract me. Yes, let's look at a little history. The land that would formally become Connecticut and Massachusetts in the late 18th century had previously been inhabited by groups of humans, mostly Native Americans, for thousands of years. According to the American Ancestors website, the three major tribes in Massachusetts were the Mahican, Mohegan, and Wampanoag, while there were several, if not dozens, of tribes in Connecticut. However, sooner rather than later, new settlers would arrive in this region, which would have a great impact on the entire culture of the future United States. In 1620, a group we know today simply as The Pilgrims sailed from England across the Atlantic Ocean and became the first European settlers in and around future Massachusetts.

Fortunately, they also became friends with the Wampanoag people. Over time, more Puritans came to the area and founded the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1629. Seven years later, more Puritans settled further south and founded the Connecticut Colony. During the rest of the 17th century, both colonies grew rapidly. By the time the American Revolution came in the 1770s, the area had evolved significantly and now formed a new region called "New England" and these people were ready to rebel. Events such as the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party galvanized New England residents to fight for their freedom against the British.

Major battles were fought in Massachusetts during what we now call the American Revolutionary War, including the battles of Lexington and Concord and the Battle of Bunker Hill. Unfortunately or fortunately, Connecticut did not see the same action as Massachusetts. After the war, both states were among the first to ratify the new Constitution. Soon after, both states became the stronghold of the first official political party in American history, the Federalist Party. They were both quite progressive from the beginning. Massachusetts was the first state to abolish slavery in 1783, followed shortly by Connecticut the following year. Both were also strongholds of various reformist movements throughout the early 19th century.

Meanwhile, both states were industrial centers that continued to experience steady population growth. During the American Civil War, no battle reached both states. However, they both provided plenty of weapons, supplies, and... most importantly... SOLDIERS for the Union side to help secure victory. After the war, Connecticut and Massachusetts entered the Gilded Age, where industry continued to grow and the economy flourished. At the end of the 19th century, thousands of immigrants, mostly Europeans, came to both states in search of a better life. In 1891, in Springfield, Massachusetts, James Naismith invented the sport of basketball with the goal of creating a fun game for groups that attended the YMCA.

I would say it was quite successful. William G. Morgan also invented volleyball in 1895 in Holyoke Massachusetts, where the Volleyball Hall of Fame is located today. Let's move on to the Roaring Twenties, when both states became more urbanized and immigration continued to increase. In fact, it was then that the famous Kennedy family began their dynasty when a man named Joseph Kennedy decided to make a name for himself in the realm of politics. The Kennedy dynasty in Massachusetts lasted from the 1920s until 2009. Famous Massachusetts politicians of the modern era include former House Speaker Tip O'Neill, who became a local icon, and former Senator Ted Kennedy, who served 47 years from 1962 until his death. in 2009.

I could go on, but you should actually check out my MatrixMachine channel for more political history. Back to you, Mr. Beat. Thanks Michael. As he said, the first European settlers were mostly Puritans, and their culture can be seen in the legacy preserved there even today. Not just there, actually throughout the country. Today, Massachusetts' official nickname is "The Bay State," which comes from its many bays, and Connecticut's nickname, "The Constitution State," comes from the fact that the New Haven colony drafted the first American colonial constitution for a democratic society. . I mean, that's debatable, but that's what they say.

So what about the differences? Well, for starters, Massachusetts' population is 7 million, almost double Connecticut's 3.6 million. Currently, Massachusetts is gaining population, while Connecticut is actually losing population. However, both are still incredibly densely populated and are two of the most urbanized states in the country. Massachusetts' top industries include biotechnology, finance, and higher education, while Connecticut's top industries include financial services, insurance, and manufacturing. Big Massachusetts brands include Gillette, Dunkin’ and New Balance, and Connecticut is home base to ESPN, Subway and Vineyard Vines. Squirrel: Wasn't Vineyard Vines founded in Massachusetts? Mr. Beat: Yeah, on Martha's Vineyard, you know-it-all squirrel. Speaking of Martha's Vineyard, that's the Massachusetts island known as a place where the rich flock every summer because of its beautiful beaches and relatively pleasant climate.

Housing prices there are 96% higher than the national average. Speaking of islands, they both have islands, but Massachusetts has The Islands, you know what I mean? In addition to Martha's Vineyard, there are Nantucket and the Elizabeth Islands, among others. Massachusetts receives more precipitation, on average. Connecticut has some of the worst economic inequalities in the entire country. Massachusetts has professional sports teams. Eh, not Connecticut. Marijuana is legal in Massachusetts. Not in Connecticut...at least not yet at the time of making this video. Connecticut does not have toll roads. Massachusetts has the gigantic metropolitan area of ​​Boston, with more than 4.6 million inhabitants.

Connecticut's largest metropolitan area within the state is Greater Hartford, with about 1.2 million residents. The rest of Connecticut's seven largest cities are actually part of the New York metropolitan area: Bridgeport, New Haven, Stamford, Waterbury, Norwalk and Danbury. In fact, many Connecticut residents commute to New York City for work. Four American presidents have been born in Massachusetts: John Adams, his son JohnQuincy Adams, John F. Kennedy and George H.W. Bush, and Connecticut is actually the birthplace of H.W. The son of George W. Bush, another president, of course. It seems like a lot more things have been invented in Massachusetts.

Ah, but Connecticut has the largest maritime museum in the world, Mystic Seaport. That being said, many more tourists flock to Massachusetts each year. Hi, I'm in Plymouth. The shape of Massachusetts is usually easily identified thanks to Cape Cod. In fact, there is a canal that crosses the peninsula that separates it from the mainland. Apparently people who live in Connecticut are nicknamed Nutmeggers? Accents are more distinct in Massachusetts. In Connecticut, there is more variation and they generally pronounce their Rs more there. Well, they pronounce their R's in Western Massachusetts too. In conclusion, yes, I would still say that they both have much more in common than differences.

To simply summarize the differences, Connecticut is basically Massachusetts without Boston and if Massachusetts were more influenced by New York. And, as I said before, there's a good reason the cost of living is so high in both states: They're still very desirable places to raise a family. A very funny bit of autobiography: My mother lived in Massachusetts when she was a child. So which one is better? Connecticut or Massachusetts? I especially want to hear from you if you are actually from one of those two states. I know, I left things out and she mispronounced things. Hey, a couple of Massachusetts interns helped me with this one!

Shout out to Boston native Jacob Fridman, who did most of the research and wrote much of the script, and North Reading native Michael of the MatrixMachine channel, who helped with the research portion. Be sure to check out Jacob's podcast, which is called Gen Zers Talk Politics. I have linked it in the description. Also, check out MatrixMachine... I've also linked it there and there. His channel focuses on a lot of the same things I do. Thanks for watching!