Storrs/Mansfield/Uconn living (Hartford, Tolland: environment, property taxes, apartment complex)

[Islandbird]

Hi, I am following the posts here and got a lot help, but need more information about Storrs/Mansfield living. I may get a offer in Uconn. I have two school-aged children. Need your recommendation for towns to live - good schools and affordable housing. Thank you in advance.

[adamz]

Islandbird-
It's my impression that all of the towns in the vicinity of UConn (and in most of CT for that matter) have relatively good schools. Ashford, Willington and Storrs/ Mansfield share a high school- E.O. Smith- that has a good reputation and is essentially on the UConn campus.

In terms of affordable housing, the towns are all roughly comparable. Tolland seems a little pricier than some of the others. The immediate vicinity of the UConn campus commands a premium, as does lakefront in any of the towns.

One thing you may want to consider is the local mill rate. Property taxes can be high here, up to $4000/ yr on a $250-300 K house. I think Willington has the lowest rate, but I can't find the site that lists the rates.

I suggest you find the website of a local realtor that allows you to access the MLS. There are a number of them out there. That way you can look at houses in various towns, and get an idea of what the differences are.

[Islandbird]

Thank you very much Adamz. Another question: which town is more family orientated?

[JayCT]

Mansfield and Willington are two very nice towns with very good schools. Both perform above state average on the Connecticut Mastery Test and have very good class sizes (less than 20 students per class). Both towns are somewhat rural in character with Willington being the smaller (6,500 people) and Mansfield having UConn there. Jay

[adamz]

Hmm..family oriented. I think all the towns around UConn are similar in that regard. My impression is that none of them is particularly noted as a town for singles, or young professionals. They are all fairly rural towns, as JayCT noted for Mansfield and Willington. The UConn students seem to stay on campus for the most part, or they go to Hartford or one of the Casinos, so they influence Mansfield surprisingly little.

Have you visited the area yet, Islandbird?

[skytrekker]

Willington and Mansfield are somewhat different.

Willington is more family oriented, with housing prices that are attractively priced. Young families find the town very attractive.

Mansfield with the University of Connecticut local, has more of a bohemian, young and single following. Its not to say that Mansfield does not attract families- its just the local 'culture' is different from Willington.

[Islandbird]

Thank you for all the responses. I have not visited these towns yet, but plan a trip this month.

[adamz]

Although the enormity of the transgression has me quaking in terror, I'm going to have to disagree with Skytrekker about the idea that there is a bohemian, young and single element in Mansfield that has any presence off UConn's campus. With the exception of a few apartment complexes right near the University, some traffic on Rt. 195 and Rt. 44, and the two strip malls on Rt. 195 across from campus, in most of Mansfield you'd be hardpressed in my opinion to find evidence that UConn even existed.

In any case, enjoy your visit IslandBird. When I came here for my first interview, I was surprised (in a good way) to find such a rural environment. I'd spent some time in one of the coastal CT cities a decade earlier, and thought that was CT. Turns out there's this whole other aspect to the state.

[skytrekker]

Adamz

most large University campuses in the northeast have a certain 'liberal' element- Mansfield can be considered liberal. It is the largest town population wise in Tolland county.

UCONN helps in this 'liberal lean.' In the last congressional election, the registration of many UCONN students to vote did help swing the election to the Democrat Joe Courtney. To say that the student/intellectual population in Mansfield has no influence in town seems untrue.