[Lynn7kids]

We are relocating to CT and are looking for the best city within a 25 min drive from Meriden. Our number 1 priority is a great school rating. We have elementary and middle schoolers. We are coming from the South and the cost of living is a big increase so we are having a hard time finding a comparable house...or even close in our price range. We would love to be South of Meriden to be closer to the beaches but that is secondary to schools, a good house, and a nice family town with quick access to shopping.

Thanks in advance for any input you can give us!!

[KH02]

I would recommend Southington, Cheshire, Wallingford and Berlin.

They all have a short commute to Meriden. They are not closer to the water but they all have good schools. What is your budget and what kind of home are you expecting from it?

Cost of living between here and the south is MUCH higher, but you get what you pay for...and MUCH better schools come with that price.

[Lynn7kids]

Our budget is $300,000, which will get us half the house we have here and at least 30 years older. That's the problem we are running into. Better schools seem to be in the higher housing market areas. We are willing to compromise on the house but not the schools.

We have looked in Wallingford and Berlin but not the other two. I will do some searching. Thanks!

[KH02]

Yes, well I would agree, you are better off in a town with good schools and sacrificing on the size and age of the house.

Good Luck!

[nep321]

Luckily, pretty much any town in CT probably has better public schools than most towns in the South. So either way, it will be an improvement for your children's education. However, if your children come from a very poor school system, it is possible that they may be up to three grade levels behind their peers here in CT. I have heard of real life situations of this occurring from people who moved their kids from FL up here to CT.

As for towns, I would recommend Wallingford, Middletown, Newington, Hamden, Southington and possibly Bristol, as far as making the 25-min. commute from Meriden. Out of these, IMO, the most desirable in terms of living and schools would be Wallingford, Newington and Southington. Southington high school has a ridiculous amount of students that smoke weed though. My cousins go there and that school seems out of control. I couldn't believe some of the senior quotes I saw in the yearbook. One quote was, "Take life as it comes onto your face and trickles down your chin." We couldn't believe the high school let that appear on the yearbook.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Good suggestions above. I'd also add North Haven to the list.

[nep321]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

Good suggestions above. I'd also add North Haven to the list.

Ah...yes. Good schools and nice town. Just might not be that affordable!

[JayCT]

I agree tha Wallingford and Norht Haven are good places to look. You might also want to check Durham and Middlefield. Jay

[Lynn7kids]

Good suggestions, thanks. We are also looking at Cheshire. This seems to be the place we keep coming back too. Just not many houses for sale right now. Being behind is school is not an issue for us as we live in an area with some of the top schools in the nation. We do not live in a rural area.

The biggest concern we have is the property taxes...wow!! They are high.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by nep321

Southington high school has a ridiculous amount of students that smoke weed though.

That can be said for pretty much any high school/college in the state of CT - and the nation.