Connecticut is easily one of the most charming states in the United States, a place filled with gorgeous coastal towns and quaint little villages, where you can forget all about the hustle and bustle of big city life.
What separates Connecticut from many of the other states though is the fact that it has access to the coast, so if you are a surfer, a sand lover or better yet, a beach bum, you’ll definitely enjoy your time here.
But, if you really want to move in, where exactly should you head off to? After all, there are so many options for you to consider here. Well, if you want to find the best place, you will need to do your research and find the place that is better suited for you.
So, you need to make a list of your top requirements that the place needs to cover before you actually move in.
After you’re done with that, just look through the top places to live in here in Connecticut, and find the one that abides by those requirements the best.
But what are your top options? Well, here is our take on the top 20 best places to live in Connecticut:
20. Cos Cob
Cos Cob can be found very close to Connecticut’s coast. While it is basically a suburb of Greenwich, it feels like a pretty small town, with its own vibe, separate from the rest of Greenwich.
It has a total population of nearly 7,000 people currently living here, and the community in Cos Cob is very cozy and welcoming. But the best part about living here is definitely its affordability.
Most other places in suburbs that are located so close to NYC cost a lot more than a home in Cos Cob, which makes it a very good alternative if you are not exactly swimming in dough as we speak.
You’ll still need to pay around $900,000 per decent-sized family home, don’t get us wrong, but that’s a drop in the bucket that most other suburbs this close will ask of you.
19. Fairfield
Fairfield is a great option to consider if you don’t like the idea of living in a more rural part of Connecticut.
It checks off all of the bullet points you’d want from it, including the affordability factor, the friendly and close-knit community, and the many local shops and restaurants that you can find everywhere.
Speaking of affordability, a home here will very rarely cost you over $597,900, which may sound like a lot, but keep in mind that this is still Connecticut we’re talking about, and prices here don’t get all that much cheaper than this.
18. Glastonbury
Glastonbury is just an all-around great option to consider if you want to live in Connecticut. It has many of the recreational opportunities of a big city that you’d expect from it, while also keeping that friendly vibe that smaller towns carry.
When it comes to its amenities, there is no shortage of them as you’ll be treated to dozens of shops, restaurants, bars and attractions everywhere you look.
On top of that, Glastonbury also has some of the best schools in the state, and the median income is of $111,645 too. Last but not least we’d like to mention the fact that the crime rate here is very low, so the streets are both beautiful and safe at the same time.
17. New Canaan
Interestingly enough, even though New Canaan is technically located within Connecticut’s state lines, it is still regarded as a New York City suburb.
That is a good indicator of the quality of life that the residents here have, but sadly, it also serves as a bit of a warning of how expensive it is to move in here.
Buying a relatively small house here in New Canaan will cost you as much as $1,332,000, which in itself is out of a lot of people’s budgets.
If you do decide to settle on New Canaan despite that though, you’ll be happy to hear that it has some of the top-rated schools in the state, while also being one of the most comfortable places around too.
16. Riverside
Riverside is yet another option that you will only be able to consider if you earn at least six digits a year, but if you do fit in that category, you’ll definitely find Riverside to be right up your alley.
It is one of the most affluent suburbs of Greenwich, although many would argue that it is more of a New York City suburb than anything else.
Finding a property here for less than $1 million will not be easy, but if you do decide to go all out and buy one, you’ll definitely find your options to be rather majestic to say the least.
Most families bring home upwards of $154,018 too, and as you can expect from such a high-class place, most of the residents here are highly educated and very friendly.
15. West Hartford
West Hartford on the other hand is both charming and affordable, while also offering you the elevated living conditions you would expect from a Connecticut suburb.
Buying a home here will save you a lot of money and trouble, as there are plenty to choose from and they very rarely cost more than $313,500.
As such, West Hartford is one of the most popular places to move into for millennials, and on top of that it also makes for a very good place to raise a family in, due to how safe and secure it is.
14. Darien
Darien has a total population of 21,750 people, and while it is seen as a suburb of New York City, many people consider it to be its own small town, separate from all the rest here.
With that being said though, the New York City center is located only 50 minutes away, and you can always just take the public transport to it, so you can work and earn a decent living, while also staying away from the egregious price of living that NYC demands.
Just keep in mind though that since this is a suburb of NYC, you’re not going to get away with spending less than a million for a property. In fact, most properties here will cost you upwards of $1,279,900 or so.
13. Woodbridge
Woodbridge is yet another amazing place to consider if you want to move to Connecticut, while also not selling an arm and a leg to cover the expenses.
That is because a typical home here will cost you only around $474,500 or so, which is made all the better considering the fact that the average household income here is around $133,412 too.
Most of the community’s endeavors are centered around the nature too, which is why the streets here are so beautiful. The streets are also very safe and clean, and the schools are quite remarkable as well.
12. Avon
Avon is by far one of the nicest towns in the state. It has a total population of 18,302, which makes it a medium-sized city.
Even so, buying a home here is rather affordable, costing you only around $378,000 or so, and on top of that the crime rate is practically nonexistent and the public school system here is rather stellar.
When it comes to its amenities, Avon is also no pushover, as it does have more than its fair share of restaurants, bars and diners, and the nightlife does take over during the later hours.
11. Newfield
The main selling point of Newfield is definitely the fact that it’s one of the most beautiful and sought after Stamford neighborhoods.
With a total population of 24,755 residents, it feels like a medium-sized city in itself, and it’s especially great if you love to go to a different restaurant or entertainment venue every night.
Newfield also has some of the most highly-rated schools in the state, and it also has a very low crime rate, so if you have a child and you want to make sure that they’re set for the future, Newfield may be the perfect choice for you.
10. Weston
Weston is one of the best options you have if you’re primarily looking for an affordable suburb that still maintains a certain quality of living.
So, if you happen to be working in New York City, but you can’t really afford to live there too, you can always just opt to move into Weston so you can make your life all the easier.
Weston has a total population of 10,373 people as we speak, and the interesting thing about it is that most of these residents commute to NYC for work.
As such, you can expect Weston to have no shortage of employment, alongside a very low crime rate, and a very high average income per household of $217,171 per year.
9. West Simsbury
Around 93% of the population of West Simsbury lives in owned homes, and considering the fact that there are only 3,131 residents here, you should be able to tell right away just how happy these people are to be living here in the first place.
Just keep in mind that the demand for homes here is very high, which is why if you want to find the perfect home in West Simsbury, you’ll either need to be on the lookout for a good property all year-round, or you’ll need to sell an extra kidney to afford a more expensive place.
All jokes aside, West Simsbury is a very nice place to live in, its streets are very clean and safe, and there are plenty of amenities around every corner.
8. Ridgefield
Nestled just a few miles outside of New York, Ridgefield has a total population of 25,033 people, but it feels more like a quaint little town than anything else.
Most of the houses here come with massive gardens, so if you ever wanted to live in a place filled with greenery, Ridgefield may be the perfect option for you.
Ridgefield is also a very safe place to live in, so if you want to stay as far away from the nastiness of the big cities around, you can always just move in here and live a safe and healthy lifestyle.
7. Weatogue
Weatogue is a relatively small suburb of Simsbury, that only has around 3,000 people living in it. As such, it serves as one of your best options if you’re looking to relocate in a place that has that small-village feel to it.
Buying a house here is also pretty affordable and accessible, with properties costing you only around $324,600 per average.
Crime is also on the lower end, which is another benefit of living in a smaller suburb. Most of the neighborhood is made out of families, retirees and millennials too, and they’re all very friendly and welcoming.
6. Southport
Yet another small suburb, this time of Fairfield, Southport only has 1,687 people currently living in it, and right off the bat we can say that this is one of the nicest places in all of Connecticut.
Southport also has a very thriving job market, which is made all the better by the fact that the median household income is around $200,139 per year.
The public schools in the area here are also amongst the best in the state, and on top of that the place also features a very strong sense of community which is always nice to see.
5. Cheshire
Cheshire has a total population of around 29,000 residents, and it is known as the “bedding plant capital of Connecticut” thanks to its pastoral New England appeal.
Interestingly enough though, it also has some of the best schools in the state too, alongside some of the most beautiful parks you’ll ever see.
It is also a very safe place to live in, as is indicated by its very low crime rate, and there’s always festivals going on right around every corner. The community here is very friendly and diverse, and the cost of living is quite acceptable too.
4. Westport
Buying a 3-bedroom family home here will cost you around $1,152,100, which is definitely out of a lot of people’s budgets, and on top of that, the cost of living here in Westport is very high as well.
But even so, Westport manages to sneak its way towards the top of our list thanks to its stellar schools, the cleanness of the city and of course, the extremely strong job market, which promises you upwards of $181,360 a year according to the average income per family here.
We should also bring up the fact that Westport has a thriving art community, and the theater scene is on the rise as we speak, so if you’re interested in that sort of stuff, you’ll surely enjoy your time here.
3. Old Greenwich
Old Greenwich is anything but cheap, as the average home here costs around $1,400,900 right now. That in itself is quite a huge investment, although you will be making a lot of that money back after fully relocating, as most families bring home around $207,000 per year or so.
This affluent coastal village is also a great place to raise a family in thanks to its safety, cleanness, and of course, the fact that it has an upper-class neighborhood vibe.
Renting a place is not recommended though, as you will rarely find anything below $2,477 per month here, but at the very least you will be getting keys to an ultra-modern condo for that money, so it may be worth it at the end of the day.
2. Simsbury
Simsbury has a total population of 24,517 people, and it can be found a few minutes away of the Connecticut state capital of Hartford.
Buying a home here will cost you only around $328,600, which is made all the better by the fact that most families bring home around $100,000 per year.
The architecture of the houses here is delightful though and there is no shortage of amenities either. The cost of living is also not too shabby, making Simsbury the best middle-of-the-road option for most people out there.
1. Mansfield
Last but not least, we have Mansfield, a blissful little town in the heart of Connecticut. The median home value here is just around $233,100, already putting it above most of the other places in this state, at least in terms of affordability.
On top of that, Mansfield has some of the best schools in the state, family-oriented communities, a ton of parks for you to check out, and more than a handful of outdoor green spaces.
It is a very safe place to live in, it is more than affordable and yet it doesn’t spare any expenses when it comes to the quality of living that its residents get. Overall, Mansfield definitely makes for the best place to live in Connecticut.
Conclusion
These are some of the best places you could live in if you’re planning to move to the beautiful state of Connecticut, but just keep in mind that that doesn’t mean that these are the only places you should look through.
Definitely take some time to search through what else Connecticut has to offer, because you never know what the best option is for you until you’ve been there yourself.
For more interesting places to live in, check out Connecticut’s neighboring states: Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New York.
