9 Greatest Locations to Dwell in Connecticut

Hartford

Connecticut’s capital is a real gem, providing residents a wonderful 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 preferred leisure district, and houses positioned there are in very excessive demand. Architectural types fluctuate between colonial, Cape Cod, and ranch types.

Actual property values are additionally on the inexpensive aspect, with median house costs at round $170,000, based on 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 preferred space with newcomers is ​​Latimer Lane.

“It is loaded with enclaves, in addition to the beloved Latimer Lane Elementary Faculty – 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 a number of [Cape Cod-style homes].”

At present, the median house worth in Weatogue is round $420,000, which signifies a 12 p.c enhance since final yr and is greater than the nationwide median. The same image emerges with the broader price of residing: Residents spend about 5 p.c 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 robust sense of group, handy facilities, and easy accessibility to buying and highways.

Farmington is over 350 years outdated, and due to cautious city planning and preservation, its residents can get pleasure from its historic character and attraction.

“The housing market in Farmington and throughout the valley is strong and thriving,” Sweeney added and defined that potential consumers ought to count on intense competitors for the few out there houses “leading to affords exceeding asking costs and minimal contingencies.” The present median house worth is round $460,000, based on 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 infinite out of doors actions. This riverfront city is an ideal vacation spot for water sports activities fans and anglers, and it is also referred to as 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 houses are highly regarded, however there may be additionally a lot of new residences and luxurious houses.

Nonetheless, house costs listed below are rapidly rising, with present values round $510,000, 14 p.c greater than final yr.

Outdated Greenwich

Nestled alongside Connecticut’s “Gold Coast,” Outdated Greenwich attracts many urbanites in search of 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 Outdated Greenwich by way of all seasons of life, and plenty of do — for this reason Outdated Greenwich has been such a wildly common selection for these in search of a transfer,” Petersen added.

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

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

Stamford

Manhattanites love this vibrant group alongside the Lengthy Island Sound for its proximity to the town (simply 35 miles away, with categorical trains working each day), various 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 referred to as it a “distinctive and great place to reside.”

However it is usually a spot with a extremely aggressive actual property market. In accordance with Athnos, ​​57 p.c of houses offered over the asking value within the first quarter of 2024, and the typical list-to-sale value ratio was a file excessive of 101.8 p.c. Moreover, houses spend lower than two weeks available on the market 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 in relation to property varieties, “from vintage colonials to charming Capes, ranch-style houses to fashionable contemporaries, downtown townhomes to high-rise residences, and every little thing in between,” she added.

New Haven

The historic attraction of New Haven blends with its fashionable 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 unbiased companies catering to New Haven’s 135,000 residents, a fourth of that are college students. The unemployment fee right here is about the identical because the nationwide common, or 3.8 p.c, with many firms organising store within the space to draw extremely educated and expert staff.

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

Westport

With its lovely seashores, various neighborhoods, nice colleges, and plenty of outlets and eating places, Westport has grow to be common with households and younger professionals in search of 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 attraction,” 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 actually displays its many facilities and glorious high quality of life. Median house costs have been on a gradual upward trajectory for a number of 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 in search of 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 outdated.

All these perks include a aggressive actual property market, with house costs practically reaching the $1.5 million mark in Could, which, based on Zillow, has primarily doubled since mid-2020. The city is just not precisely recognized for its affordability, as the price of residing is 25 p.c greater than the nationwide common and 9 p.c above the Connecticut common.