[StartingOver!]

Hello, I am a 25 year old single female moving to CT. Ideally, I would like to live in an area that is either very close to mass transit or is a mass transit area. I will be renting, so preferrably a neighborhood that has apartments at a decent cost in a decent neigborhood - and when I say decent I mean - no gangs hanging out on the street corners, no wild teenagers running around causing trouble, low police traffic, etc.

Also, I currently reside in Arizona and things are a lot different out here than on the East Coast. Can anyone please tell me what bills come along with renting an apartment on the East Coast? (ie. water, heat, security deposits) and also what are some of the best areas in New Haven to live for a single female, while keeping all of the above in mind.

Thanks

[JayCT]

The East Rock, Westville and downtown neighborhoods would be best. Most apartments require the first months rent plus one months security. Depending on the apartment you will generally be responsible for heat, electric, cable and telephone. Around here most landlords will pay for water. Jay

[StartingOver!]

Thanks Jay.

[inetlom]

I moved to New Haven as a single 24 year old female - I have lived in East Rock since moving here and it is fantastic. I walk to work every day, I can easily take the bus (or walk) to the train station, and although I live on a relatively busy street, my apartment and neighborhood are still pretty quiet and very nice. I would actually say that East Rock as a whole is nicer than Westville for a single person, since there are a ton of graduate students and people around the same age in the neighborhood. There are very few teenagers.

Going rate for a 1 bedroom apartment in East Rock right now is probably about $900-1000. You can find some places that include heat, hot water, and/or electricity if you look on Craigslist. I pay for gas, cable, Internet, etc. myself. If you are willing to share an apartment with a roommate or two, you can probably find something around $500-$600.

[AnonChick]

Also, the transit system here isn't exactly what you'd call "mass." It's more...modest. It's a modest transit system. There's the bus system. It's slow and clunky, and to get from point A to point B you usually have to transfer. If you are working and living -in- the general downtown area, you would be walking or riding a bike, not taking any kind of transit. If you live outside the general downtown area and live -on- a bus line, then you'd take the bus downtown.

If you live outside the general downtown area, and work somewhere outside the general downtown area, your best bet would be to drive a car.

I'm comparing our transit system to a more metropolitan system such as the MTA and the MBTA and the trolley system of San Francisco.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by AnonChick

There's the bus system. It's slow and clunky, and to get from point A to point B you usually have to transfer.

And, for the most part, those riding the bus are doing so because they can't afford their own vehicle.

[inetlom]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

And, for the most part, those riding the bus are doing so because they can't afford their own vehicle.

Buses much easier if you're connected to Yale since they have their own bus system (although really, they don't check ID when you get on so if you look like a student or a staff member no one will say anything).

There is a small car-free movement in New Haven so those people use the public buses as well - when I didn't have a car I was reliant on the public bus to get anywhere beyond a 45 minute walk. The student population tends to be very walk/bike oriented.

[StartingOver!]

[quote=AnonChick;15638962]Also, the transit system here isn't exactly what you'd call "mass." It's more...modest.[quote]


If I lived in East Rock or Downtown, how far would I be from the Amtrack station?

[inetlom]

Originally Posted by StartingOver!

If I lived in East Rock or Downtown, how far would I be from the Amtrack station?

Downtown is closer than East Rock - perhaps a 10-15 minute walk, depending on your part of downtown. There's also a free shuttle that goes to the station. East Rock is considerably longer - I'd say between 30 and 45 minutes if you walk pretty quickly. Driving - 5 minutes from downtown, 10-15 from East Rock.

Keep in mind that the walk to the station is not particularly nice and I wouldn't want to do it at night alone.

[cucutkho1992]

thanks inetlom!