Is Hartford really that expensive? How shock and surprise contribute to the spread of clickbait news

You've probably seen the headlines: “This Connecticut town tops the U.S. list of most expensive places to live,” says WTNH News. “New report shows Connecticut has two of the most expensive towns in the country,” says a video from NBC Connecticut. And you've probably also seen the stunned reactions on social media from Nutmeg State residents who can't believe this accusation.

“Whoever did this, [sic] “I haven’t discovered a place called California yet,” wrote Donte ThreeVincenzo on X.

“Ever been to Boston? NYC??? LA?? Seattle?? Etc. etc. etc.,” posted Peter Zabroski.

They are reacting to a report by US News and World Report that found Hartford to be the most expensive city in the country. Los Angeles? 2nd place. The Big Apple? 5th place. San Francisco? Not even in the top 10.

The report has turned the already contentious comments section on news sites into a veritable war zone. Even on CT News Junkie's Facebook page, there were over 100 comments on the report when it was shared on social media. Comments ranged from attacks on Connecticut for its generally high cost of living to posters questioning the study's methodology.

How can a report that is so at odds with reality and common sense go viral, generating thousands of comments across multiple platforms? According to Marie K. Shanahan, associate professor and chair of the journalism department at the University of Connecticut, that sense of disbelief is key to stories like this spreading far and wide.

“That headline just sounds so bizarre, doesn't it? It's not what you would expect,” Shanahan said. “The novelty of that headline gets attention, because I wouldn't pick Hartford as the most expensive city to live in, even though it might not be Hartford itself or Greater Hartford that they're talking about. But think about New York and Los Angeles, why would it be Hartford? The fact that it goes against conventional wisdom gets our attention, that's one thing. And if it gets our attention, the attention of the audience, even locally, then it's going to get the attention of people in New York and Los Angeles and other people who are paying a lot of money for their homes in other places.”

Shanahan also said that such messages risk damaging the reputation of a city like Hartford if not presented in the right context.

“We're talking about the city and the Hartford region. And most importantly, is their information true? That's what I want to know as a journalist and as a person who lives in the region,” she said. “How does a story like this impact Hartford positively or negatively? For example, if people are told that Hartford is fancy and therefore the most expensive place to live, then you would have to ask people whether they think that's good or bad. Another question is how long these rankings last. Is it for the next six months, is it for the next six years? So all of these things make a difference whether it's positive or negative.”

Shanahan also pointed out that Connecticut often has a reputation for being a playground for the rich and famous, and that sensationalist headlines like this one can obscure the reality of life for many of the state's residents.

“Does this story perpetuate a stereotype about Connecticut?” she said. “We could talk about the belief that Connecticut is full of rich people. If you ever meet anyone who isn't from Connecticut, that's their opinion. But we know that's not true. In that sense, I would say this could perpetuate misinformation about Connecticut, where there is actually a lot of wealth inequality.”

Although U.S. News and World Report is generally considered a reliable source, the site is famous (or infamous, depending on who you ask) for its lists that contain as much subjective opinion as objective fact. The most famous is U.S. News' annual college rankings, which either praise or condemn colleges based on their relative position on the list.

Erica Giovanetti, a reporter who worked on the list, told CTPublic in an interview that her team took a “holistic look” at the data.

“We look at both income and housing costs. Hartford is at the top of our list in terms of the percentage of income spent on housing,” Giovanetti said. “So that's the real reason Hartford is the most expensive place to live.”

Still, it's hard to convince readers to look beyond the shareable headlines that accompany such stories, and the result is a series of social media firestorms without the right facts.