9 Finest Locations to Reside in Connecticut

Hartford

Connecticut’s capital is a real gem, providing residents a superb faculty system, charming neighborhoods, top-notch healthcare services, cultural actions, and recreation. “We’re really spoiled,” Paula Ostop, a dealer at William Raveis Actual Property/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide, stated of the town, ranked quantity 13 for high quality of life in U.S. Information’s newest report.

She defined that West Hartford Heart stays the most well-liked leisure district, and houses situated there are in very excessive demand. Architectural types differ between colonial, Cape Cod, and ranch types.

Actual property values are additionally on the reasonably priced facet, with median house costs at round $170,000, in accordance with Zillow.

Weatogue

This quaint village northwest of Hartford alongside the Farmington River is steeped in historical past. Weatogue is house to many noteworthy spots together with the “haunted” Pettibone Tavern (now Abigail’s Grille and Wine Bar) and the East Weatogue Historic District, however the most well-liked space with newcomers is ​​Latimer Lane.

“It is loaded with enclaves, in addition to the beloved Latimer Lane Elementary College – a spot the place youngsters can experience their bikes to the college or stroll,” Geena Becker of William Raveis Actual Property defined. “When it comes to house types, again within the ’60s and ’70s, builders constructed raised ranches and colonials with just a few [Cape Cod-style homes].”

At present, the median house worth in Weatogue is round $420,000, which signifies a 12 % enhance since final yr and is greater than the nationwide median. An analogous image emerges with the broader price of residing: Residents spend about 5 % extra than the U.S. common on bills like groceries, childcare, and transportation.

Farmington

“Farmington [is] a suburb of Hartford nestled within the picturesque Farmington Valley, [and it] supplies the proper setting for households to flourish,” William Raveis Actual Property dealer Lisa Sweeney stated, highlighting its sturdy sense of group, handy facilities, and easy accessibility to procuring and highways.

Farmington is over 350 years previous, and due to cautious city planning and preservation, its residents can get pleasure from its historic character and appeal.

“The housing market in Farmington and throughout the valley is powerful and thriving,” Sweeney added and defined that potential patrons ought to anticipate intense competitors for the few accessible properties “leading to provides exceeding asking costs and minimal contingencies.” The present median house worth is round $460,000, in accordance with Zillow.

Glastonbury

Named the third-best place to reside in Connecticut by Area of interest.com, Glastonbury has round 35,000 full-time residents who get pleasure from entry to top-notch public colleges, glorious sports activities applications, family-friendly facilities, and limitless out of doors actions. This riverfront city is an ideal vacation spot for water sports activities fans and anglers, and it is also called the house of the oldest repeatedly working cider mill within the nation.

“South Glastonbury is quaint with its outlets and eating places, in addition to its nation farms and prime location alongside the Connecticut River,” native dealer Harry Finer stated, including that vintage properties are very talked-about, however there may be additionally a lot of new residences and luxurious properties.

Nonetheless, house costs listed here are shortly rising, with present values round $510,000, 14 % greater than final yr.

Previous Greenwich

Nestled alongside Connecticut’s “Gold Coast,” Previous Greenwich attracts many urbanites looking for escape from the hustle and bustle of New York Metropolis. Carolyn Petersen, a Houlihan Lawrence/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide dealer, compares the city to Stars Hole, the fictional idyllic metropolis in Gilmore Women.

“One can reside in Previous Greenwich by means of all seasons of life, and lots of do — because of this Previous Greenwich has been such a wildly fashionable selection for these looking for a transfer,” Petersen added.

The city’s tight-knit group is a significant draw, too. “On any given day, you’ll be able to volunteer with the Previous Greenwich Affiliation, plant daffodil bulbs with the Associates of Binney Park, attend a nature stroll with the Associates of Greenwich Level Park (Tod’s Level to the locals!), purchase vegetation from the Backyard Membership of Previous Greenwich, store on the Previous Greenwich Farmer’s Market, play tennis in town courts, attend a ebook membership at Perrot Library, and end with a complicated, but informal dinner at one in all numerous stylish eating places,” she stated.

Nonetheless, stock on this ritzy group is low, and houses include eye-watering worth tags. The present median worth is over $2 million, with over half of properties promoting above asking worth, in accordance with Zillow.

Stamford

Manhattanites love this vibrant group alongside the Lengthy Island Sound for its proximity to the town (simply 35 miles away, with specific trains operating day by day), numerous group, many cultural choices and occasions, pure landmarks, public parks, and seashores. Native actual property agent Meghan Athnos of Brown Harris Stevens/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide known as it a “distinctive and fantastic place to reside.”

However it is usually a spot with a extremely aggressive actual property market. In line with Athnos, ​​57 % of properties offered over the asking worth within the first quarter of 2024, and the common list-to-sale worth ratio was a file excessive of 101.8 %. Moreover, properties spend lower than two weeks in the marketplace earlier than they go from for-sale to pending standing.

The present median house worth is round $660,000, however Athnos defined that there’s a lot of selection on the subject of property sorts, “from vintage colonials to charming Capes, ranch-style properties to trendy contemporaries, downtown townhomes to high-rise flats, and every thing in between,” she added.

New Haven

The historic appeal of New Haven blends with its trendy spirit for a various group that’s house to one of many nation’s most prestigious universities, Yale. The town is chock-full of nice eating places, museums, bars, music venues, espresso outlets, and impartial companies catering to New Haven’s 135,000 residents, a fourth of that are college students. The unemployment price right here is about the identical because the nationwide common, or 3.8 %, with many corporations organising store within the space to draw extremely educated and expert staff.

The price of residing in New Haven is about 9 % greater than the nationwide common. In contrast, actual property is comparatively reasonably priced, with median house values at about $300,000.

Westport

With its lovely seashores, numerous neighborhoods, nice colleges, and lots of outlets and eating places, Westport has grow to be fashionable with households and younger professionals looking for proximity to New York Metropolis and concrete facilities in a quaint setting.

“Westport is the proper mix of New York Metropolis-inspired sophistication and New England coastal appeal,” Amy Swanson, vice chairman of gross sales at William Raveis Actual Property/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide, stated.

The city is nestled alongside the Lengthy Island Sound and the banks of the Saugatuck River, providing an abundance of water recreation and beautiful waterfront views. The town’s actual property market definitely displays its many facilities and glorious high quality of life. Median house costs have been on a gentle upward trajectory for just a few years, and the present median house worth is $1,777,000.

Weston

Weston’s tranquility, historic neighborhoods, glorious public colleges, and low crime charges have made the city a magnet for younger households, particularly these looking for a lush pure setting (over a fourth of the town is preserved as open areas), out of doors recreation (together with entry to nation golf equipment and their sports activities services), and proximity to seashores and New York Metropolis. The city ranked within the prime 10 communities to boost a household in Connecticut on Area of interest.com, and the median age of Weston residents is 46 years previous.

All these perks include a aggressive actual property market, with house costs practically reaching the $1.5 million mark in Might, which, in accordance with Zillow, has primarily doubled since mid-2020. The city shouldn’t be precisely identified for its affordability, as the price of residing is 25 % greater than the nationwide common and 9 % above the Connecticut common.