9 Greatest Locations to Stay in Connecticut

Hartford

Connecticut’s capital is a real gem, providing residents a superb college 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 town, ranked quantity 13 for high quality of life in U.S. Information’s newest report.

She defined that West Hartford Middle 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 inexpensive aspect, with median residence costs at round $170,000, in response to Zillow.

Weatogue

This quaint village northwest of Hartford alongside the Farmington River is steeped in historical past. Weatogue is residence 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 Faculty – a spot the place children can journey their bikes to the college or stroll,” Geena Becker of William Raveis Actual Property defined. “When it comes to residence 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 residence worth in Weatogue is round $420,000, which signifies a 12 % enhance since final 12 months and is greater than the nationwide median. An identical image emerges with the broader value 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] gives the proper setting for households to flourish,” William Raveis Actual Property dealer Lisa Sweeney stated, highlighting its sturdy sense of neighborhood, handy facilities, and easy accessibility to buying and highways.

Farmington is over 350 years previous, and due to cautious city planning and preservation, its residents can take pleasure in its historic character and attraction.

“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 affords exceeding asking costs and minimal contingencies.” The present median residence worth is round $460,000, in response to Zillow.

Glastonbury

Named the third-best place to stay in Connecticut by Area of interest.com, Glastonbury has round 35,000 full-time residents who take pleasure in entry to top-notch public colleges, wonderful sports activities applications, family-friendly facilities, and limitless out of doors actions. This riverfront city is an ideal vacation spot for water sports activities fanatics 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 properties are extremely popular, however there may be additionally a lot of new residences and luxurious properties.

Nevertheless, residence costs listed here are rapidly rising, with present values round $510,000, 14 % greater than final 12 months.

Previous Greenwich

Nestled alongside Connecticut’s “Gold Coast,” Previous 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 Ladies.

“One can stay in Previous Greenwich by way of all seasons of life, and plenty of do — because of this Previous Greenwich has been such a wildly standard selection for these in search of a transfer,” Petersen added.

The city’s tight-knit neighborhood 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 Mates of Binney Park, attend a nature stroll with the Mates of Greenwich Level Park (Tod’s Level to the locals!), purchase crops 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 among numerous stylish eating places,” she stated.

Nevertheless, stock on this ritzy neighborhood 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, in response to Zillow.

Stamford

Manhattanites love this vibrant neighborhood alongside the Lengthy Island Sound for its proximity to town (simply 35 miles away, with categorical trains working day by day), various neighborhood, 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 great place to stay.”

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

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

New Haven

The historic attraction of New Haven blends with its trendy spirit for a various neighborhood that’s residence 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 price right here is about the identical because the nationwide common, or 3.8 %, with many firms organising store within the space to draw extremely educated and expert workers.

The price of residing in New Haven is about 9 % greater than the nationwide common. Against this, actual property is comparatively inexpensive, with median residence values at about $300,000.

Westport

With its lovely seashores, various neighborhoods, nice colleges, and plenty of outlets and eating places, Westport has turn out to be standard 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 wonderful high quality of life. Median residence costs have been on a gentle upward trajectory for a number of years, and the present median residence worth is $1,777,000.

Weston

Weston’s tranquility, historic neighborhoods, wonderful 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 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 high 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 residence costs practically reaching the $1.5 million mark in Might, which, in response to Zillow, has primarily doubled since mid-2020. The city just isn’t precisely recognized for its affordability, as the price of residing is 25 % greater than the nationwide common and 9 % above the Connecticut common.