9 Finest Locations to Reside in Connecticut

Hartford

Connecticut’s capital is a real gem, providing residents a wonderful 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, mentioned of 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 kinds range between colonial, Cape Cod, and ranch kinds.

Actual property values are additionally on the reasonably priced aspect, with median residence 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 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 trip their bikes to the varsity or stroll,” Geena Becker of William Raveis Actual Property defined. “When it comes to residence kinds, again within the ’60s and ’70s, builders constructed raised ranches and colonials with a couple of [Cape Cod-style homes].”

At the moment, the median residence worth in Weatogue is round $420,000, which signifies a 12 p.c improve since final 12 months and is increased than the nationwide median. The same image emerges with the broader value of dwelling: 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 right setting for households to flourish,” William Raveis Actual Property dealer Lisa Sweeney mentioned, highlighting its robust sense of neighborhood, handy facilities, and quick access to buying and highways.

Farmington is over 350 years previous, and because of cautious city planning and preservation, its residents can take pleasure in its historic character and allure.

“The housing market in Farmington and throughout the valley is powerful and thriving,” Sweeney added and defined that potential consumers ought to anticipate intense competitors for the few obtainable properties “leading to provides exceeding asking costs and minimal contingencies.” The present median residence worth is round $460,000, based on 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 faculties, wonderful sports activities applications, family-friendly facilities, and countless outside actions. This riverfront city is an ideal vacation spot for water sports activities lovers and anglers, and it is also called the house of the oldest constantly 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 mentioned, including that vintage properties are very talked-about, however there’s additionally a lot of new residences and luxurious properties.

Nonetheless, residence costs listed below are rapidly rising, with present values round $510,000, 14 p.c increased than final 12 months.

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 Ladies.

“One can stay in Outdated Greenwich by way of all seasons of life, and plenty of do — that is why Outdated Greenwich has been such a wildly widespread alternative 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 may volunteer with the Outdated 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 vegetation from the Backyard Membership of Outdated Greenwich, store on the Outdated Greenwich Farmer’s Market, play tennis in town courts, attend a e book membership at Perrot Library, and end with a complicated, but informal dinner at certainly one of a variety of stylish eating places,” she mentioned.

Nonetheless, 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, based on Zillow.

Stamford

Manhattanites love this vibrant neighborhood alongside the Lengthy Island Sound for its proximity to town (simply 35 miles away, with specific trains working each day), numerous 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 fantastic place to stay.”

However it is usually a spot with a extremely aggressive actual property market. In accordance with Athnos, ​​57 p.c of properties offered 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 p.c. 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 relating to property varieties, “from vintage colonials to charming Capes, ranch-style properties to trendy contemporaries, downtown townhomes to high-rise residences, and every part in between,” she added.

New Haven

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

The price of dwelling in New Haven is about 9 p.c increased than the nationwide common. Against this, actual property is comparatively reasonably priced, with median residence values at about $300,000.

Westport

With its stunning seashores, numerous neighborhoods, nice faculties, and plenty of outlets and eating places, Westport has turn out to be widespread with households and younger professionals in search of proximity to New York Metropolis and concrete facilities in a quaint setting.

“Westport is the right mix of New York Metropolis-inspired sophistication and New England coastal allure,” Amy Swanson, vp of gross sales at William Raveis Actual Property/Luxurious Portfolio Worldwide, mentioned.

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 gradual upward trajectory for a couple of years, and the present median residence worth is $1,777,000.

Weston

Weston’s tranquility, historic neighborhoods, wonderful public faculties, 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), outside 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 residence costs practically reaching the $1.5 million mark in Could, which, based on Zillow, has basically doubled since mid-2020. The city just isn’t precisely identified for its affordability, as the price of dwelling is 25 p.c increased than the nationwide common and 9 p.c above the Connecticut common.