[holyfrak]

HI,

we are considering moving to CT from LA. I would be working in Manhattan and my wife would be working in New Haven. Does anyone have any opinion or information on living in New Haven (or Bridgeport or Stamford) and making the commute into NYC. Ideally we would live near her job and I'd take the train into Manhattan. Thoughts?

thx

[Stylo]

It's a 90 minute train ride from New Haven, about 65 from Bridgeport and 45 from Stamford.

There's other nice towns inbetween like Westport (~60 minutes), Fairfield (~70 minutes) and Milford (~80 minutes).

You can take also the train from New Haven from any of those towns.

Look at The Weekender for travel times. Be sure to look at weekday rush hour times as off-peak trains make more stops and take longer.

[toddb]

Depends on your budget and your needs/wants for a home - land, single family vs townhouse, # of BR/BA, neighborhood, schools, etc.

[JayCT]

You do not mention what you price range would be for housing. That may make a difference in where people recommend you live along with the type of community (urban, suburban, rural) that you would like. Also do you have children and if so how important are the schools to you?

New Haven, Bridgeport and Stamford are large cities with more urban type living. If you want an urban lifestyle (meaning living in an apartment in a densely populated area near mass transit), then these would be good locations. There are a number of apartments in the downtown areas of these cities that would work.

If you want a more suburban lifestyle there are many towns nearby that would work. Keep in mind that the cities in Connecticut are relatively small in area making up the center of a metropolitain area. They are surrounded by fiercely independent towns that serve as their suburbs. These towns usually have long histories and therefore pride themselves on being independent. If you live in say North Haven, you almost will never say you live in New Haven. You usually make sure people know you live in the Town of North Haven. Towns you might want to consider include Milford, Stratford, Fairfield and Westport.

Milford is the closest to New Haven and is a nice suburban community with a train station so you could commute into New York. There is a wide range of housing options and great shopping including the region's major shopping mall and a lot of stores along Route 1. There is a small downtown with some shops and restaurants and lot of nice neighborhoods to consider. The schools are good and there are a lot of great family activities including many parks and beaches.

Stratford also has lot to offer. It too is a nice town with good schools but note that it does bordera problem portion of Bridgeport so you will need to be a bit careful in choosing a neighborhood.

Fairfield is a large somewhat diverse upscale suburb with a great downtown, lots of parks and beaches and excellent schools. There is a wide range of housing options but because it is closer to New York and Stamford it will be pricier than Milford and Stratford.

Westport is an affluent upscale suburban town with a great downtyown and some of the best performing schools in the state. It is known for being the home to a number of celebrities and is very expensive. Still there is a lot to do there and it is a great place to live and raise a family. I hope this helps. Jay

[holyfrak]

Hey thanks all! Jay, I didn't mention price ranges b/c we're already paying LA prices. I believe places in Manhattan are more expensive but really, I figure at worst we'll end up at about the same in CT. Thanks again for the info, I really appreciate it!

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

Stamford/Greenwich/Darien is the best area for you.

Equidistant between NYC and New Haven.

You and the wife can happily go to the Stamford station. Have breakfast and then part ways in either direction and come back the night and have dinner before going home.

Quite romantic

[minibrings]

Originally Posted by Antlered Chamataka

Stamford/Greenwich/Darien is the best area for you.

Equidistant between NYC and New Haven.

You and the wife can happily go to the Stamford station. Have breakfast and then part ways in either direction and come back the night and have dinner before going home.
H
Quite romantic

Except you might have a bar car on your train... Not sure if there are bar cars on south bound trains

[Currency Pair Crocodile]

Originally Posted by minibrings

Except you might have a bar car on your train... Not sure if there are bar cars on south bound trains

There are, but I don't think I've see people eating or drinking. It was just a bar car and it was not very frequent and it stops at Stamford only.

I mostly go out of Noroton or Darien. Noroton is less insane though. Somewhat idyllic and peaceful setting

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by holyfrak

Hey thanks all! Jay, I didn't mention price ranges b/c we're already paying LA prices. I believe places in Manhattan are more expensive but really, I figure at worst we'll end up at about the same in CT. Thanks again for the info, I really appreciate it!

Well you will defintely be pleasantly surprised the closer you are to New Haven. The real high priced real estate in Connecticut does not start until you get to Westport or Fairfield. Again it is all a matter of how far from Mahattan you are willing to be. The closer in the more expensive.

If you are looking to live in New Haven itself, there are some nice apartments downtown that are a short walk to the train into NY. Keep in mind though that trip is long to do everyday, but there are people that do it. Jay

[kidyankee764]

The Stamford area will generally be more expensive than LA, but as Jay said, once you get toward Milford and New Haven, prices will drop. That said, I would NEVER make the commute from New Haven to NYC on a daily basis. I would try to live in Westport, Norwalk or Darien.