Considering a move from Los Angeles to Connecticut for preteens (Fairfield: rent, how much)
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Please excuse my long winded post. I am in the research stage of planning a cross country move. We are 20 year long residents of Los Angeles. We have loved the city for the weather, diversity, creative opportunities and friends BUT our kids are approching middle school and I would like to give them a smaller town, public schools and less schlepping for me. My husband works in the commercial film business and can work in NYC (he travels so much and is willing to take on a commute so the kids can be suburban) so we are seriously looking to move to Westport, CT (I used to live there 20+ years ago). We would be moving with our two daughters, one entering middle school and one entering third grade. We are also a transracially adoptive family, hispanic, asian, caucasian, jewish. Thoughts on diversity? I know Fairfield County is not L.A. but I seem to remember a lot of European and Scandanavian transpants and am hoping for a more international feel perhaps? We feel like the Westport public schools would be a good option. We do appreciate project based learning and some of the more progressive educational models we have had here but are eager to lose tuition costs and put our soon to be teenage daughters in a smaller town setting. Has anyone made or considered this move? I would love your insights.
Westport is very homogenous. If you're looking for diversity, you won't find it there. About the only diversity is white Christian or white Jewish.
That said, it's a very nice town with some of the best schools in a state that's known for education, so if you can afford it (it's very expensive to buy a house) - you can't really go wrong.
I wouldn't discount Fairfield either. It's a bit more diverse economically and has good schools. The commute is only a few minutes longer and your money will go further as far as housing.
Please consider Westport is a much different place than it was 20 years ago. It was fairly affluent then, but is much more so now. It's also more developed and populated.
Westport is very homogenous. If you're looking for diversity, you won't find it there. About the only diversity is white Christian or white Jewish.
That said, it's a very nice town with some of the best schools in a state that's known for education, so if you can afford it (it's very expensive to buy a house) - you can't really go wrong.
I wouldn't discount Fairfield either. It's a bit more diverse economically and has good schools. The commute is only a few minutes longer and your money will go further as far as housing.
Please consider Westport is a much different place than it was 20 years ago. It was fairly affluent then, but is much more so now. It's also more developed and populated.
I am going to go ahead and disagree here.
I graduated from Staples in 1992 and am literally in the process of moving back to Westport now.
Diverse-- not like New York City. But there are definitely Asian families, Indian Families, Hispanic Families and African Americans living in town. The town has always been a favorite for Europeans living in the area as well.
I don't see any seismic shift in the wealth in Westport. It seems about the same as it was 20 years ago. I never paid much attention to who had what or has what and generally go about my business without concerning myself about how much money other people have.
I do agree that it is great place to live with some truly excellent schools.
That having been said, Fairfield is really nice too. You really can't go wrong.
I graduated from Staples in 1992 and am literally in the process of moving back to Westport now.
Diverse-- not like New York City. But there are definitely Asian families, Indian Families, Hispanic Families and African Americans living in town.
O rly?
White alone - 24,284 (91.8%)
Asian alone - 865 (3.3%)
Hispanic - 746 (2.8%)
Black alone - 274 (1.0%)
Two or more races - 194 (0.7%)
Other race alone - 80 (0.3%)
That's diverse?
I'm not putting down Westport, but let's be realistic... it is NOT racially diverse and it is a very affluent town, more now than ever (except for maybe 2006).
White alone - 24,284 (91.8%)
Asian alone - 865 (3.3%)
Hispanic - 746 (2.8%)
Black alone - 274 (1.0%)
Two or more races - 194 (0.7%)
Other race alone - 80 (0.3%)
That's diverse?
I'm not putting down Westport, but let's be realistic... it is NOT racially diverse and it is a very affluent town, more now than ever (except for maybe 2006).
I wouldn't classify it as diverse either-- but it is also not 100% white. There is also a smattering of Europeans-- who are white, but contribute to diversity.
Are the numbers in Fairfield dramatically better when it comes to diversity? Darien? New Cannan?
The difference in relative wealth is marginal. I don't think it's as dramatic as you seem to be indicating.
Thank you all for your swift responses to my inquiry. I realize Westport is not very racially diverse. It is more the attitude of inclusivity that I am hoping for. The areas of Los Angeles we have lived in are affluent but we gravitate towards very non-flashy artistic types. We would likely keep our house in Los Angeles and rent a Westport house for a year or two to try it out. Not that I would be eager to move cross country again with kids but this allows us a bit of a "baby step". I think in our hearts we will always remain bi-coastal. There is so much I love about both places. I guess at the end of the day my priority is that my children flourish and be allowed the freedom to have local playmates and activities and a strong public school education. Pretty universal. Since my husband travels a lot for work (often east coast and Europe) it would be nice to have a school bus and small town community as I enter the "teenage years". Right now I am looking at private school tuition combined with driving all over town to far flung friends here in Los Angeles. I am tired (aren't all parents?) and this seems like it might be easier. Probably a lot of the same reasons families might leave NYC for the burbs. Although, just noticed Westport was reclassified as an urban town. Feels pretty suburban to me.
Westport has a touch of artiness, but not like parts of LA like you're used to. As long as your expectations are realistic, I'm sure you'll like it. Again, you can't do much better for schools. Keep in mind the only downside in the schools is a lot of competition between students and a competitiveness on status/material things. I say this not only on assumptions based on its affluent status, but from a 6th grade teacher I know in Westport. But from a quality of education standpoint, it doesn't get much better in the public school space.
Westport is not urban by any stretch of the imagination. It is a suburban town with a small downtown area and strip shopping.
mlassoff, I didn't imply Fairfield was more diverse racially, but economically. Neither town is diverse racially. I think Fairfield has a more down to earth character, but that's my opinion from spending a lot of time in both towns (more in Westport). You have to admit, the teardown craze and McMansion trend is a new thing. Homes in Westport were much more modest 20 years ago.
Thank you all for your swift responses to my inquiry. I realize Westport is not very racially diverse. It is more the attitude of inclusivity that I am hoping for.
If you combine Mlassoff and mkiv808's posts, that is exactly what you end up with and what it is IMO.
Very white, but not exclusionary by any means. It's not a waspy bubble town
Thank you all for your swift responses to my inquiry. I realize Westport is not very racially diverse. It is more the attitude of inclusivity that I am hoping for. The areas of Los Angeles we have lived in are affluent but we gravitate towards very non-flashy artistic types.
Maybe the Saugatuck section of Westport might appeal to you then?
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