[we4luthra]

We are relocating to Groton, CT area. What are our options in terms of a new development as well as good school system. We have 2 elementary school grade kids. Any help is appreciated. We want to buy a house which is close to work (Pfizer).

[JayCT]

There are many nice towns in the Groton area to choose. It all depends on what you are looking for and your price range. New construciton here will be more expensive though. Check out towns like Waterford, Montville, Salem, Leyard, Stonington and North stonington, plus Groton itself. Good luck and welcome to Connecticut. Jay

[skytrekker]

The towns Jay suggested are great choices- you might also consider Mystic, and Gales Fairy.

[ina_blue_moon]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

The towns Jay suggested are great choices- you might also consider Mystic, and Gales Fairy.

FYI: Actually, it is spelled Gales Ferry.

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by ina_blue_moon

FYI: Actually, it is spelled Gales Ferry.

Ironically, neither Mystic nor Gales Ferry is a town.

[ctnski]

We are looking into SE CT also. My wife is a filipino nurse, and I am ex-Navy, currently an engineer in the merchant marine. Jobs are not a major concern for us. Our three daughters are in college here in Manila, and we are looking for a place to relocate to when they are done. Our budget for a home would be $500k tops.

I want to move to New England, but figure the only chance I have of getting my wife there and liking it is, one, being around other filipinos, and two, living where the weather is reasonably salubrious. I have decided that New London county in CT and Newport county in RI merit further exploration. Can anyone compare these two for us? Any sharp contrasts why one area would be preferable over the other? Primary schools are not important for us, but an educated, culturally literate populace is.

Thanks so much in advance.

Craig (from Manila)

[skytrekker]

Craig

As far as the climate being salubrious in Groton/New London CT and Newport RI, one would have to draw comparisons compared to other areas and expectations

These two locations have mild climates for their northerly location due to their maritime positions. Newport would be a wee milder- but both locations on the ocean offer cooler summers and milder winters then locations further inland. The climate would not be California like- but it would certainly not be like Chicago.

500K will buy you more home in Groton then Newport- also Newport is a resort city, and from April-October will have much in the way of traffic and tourists. Newport is a very attractive and historic city-however its economy is based on tourism.

The New London Groton area will offer less traffic and the crush of tourists during the warmer months. Nearby Niantic, Lyme, Waterford, Mystic and Stonington are subdued charming towns (though Mystic may see some tourism activity due to the historic Seaport)

According to the city of New London website, the population is 26,000, with the following demographic information on ethnic and racial groups;

See City of New London, Connecticut - Demographics

[ctnski]

skytrekker,

Thanks for your quick and helpful reply, and for the link to the demographics.

I must have read several hundred of your posts about CT and RI. As a native of northern Michigan, the coastal area of southern New England does indeed sound inviting. We have not ruled out Middlesex or Washington counties, nor even your Quiet Corner, and of course we are planning a visit before doing any serious planning.

I have always wanted to live in New England, but this past summer while on a ship I came across a compelling graphic in Time. According to the most recent survey done by the United Health Foundation, New England as a region was by far the healthiest area of the country to live in. (The South, by sharp contrast, was easily the worse.) The 2007 survey places Vermont in the top spot, and Rhode Island at number eleven is the lowest among the six NE states. Connecticut ranked fifth two years running.

Also this summer, I had the opportunity of working with fellow officers from each of the NE states, and to discuss the merits and drawbacks of each. Of course, I have always been around engineers from Maine, and they have their own strong opinions as to which state is best, but being able to talk individually with native residents from each was very rich in information.

Just before Christmas, we were home in Hermosa, Bataan and ran into a friend who had just returned from Connecticut. She has been working around Greenwich for nearly thirty years, and now has her daughters and their husbands there. (How they can afford Greenwich, I cannot fathom.) We got together on Christmas day, and talking to her really galvanized my wife's enthusiasm for Connecticut, even Fairfield county.

My wife also has a cousin who has made Athol, MA home for a quarter-century, and from there we are planning to fan out and explore the region. Still, I think the micro-climates of coastal CT and RI will be hard to resist.

So here I am doing some serious study, and again, I thank you kindly for your input.

Quite a ramble, I know. Cheers for the new year.

Craig & Aleli

[skytrekker]

Dear Craig and Aleli

glad some one is reading my posts

yes do consider also Lower Middlesex county- the towns of Essex, Chester and East Haddam-

Also the 'quiet corner' of Tolland and Windham counties- peaceful quiet, yet close to Hartford, Providence and the sea.

The micro climate of southeastern Connecticut is interesting- since it can be 10 degrees cooler in the summer then Hartford, and see rain and 40-45 degrees in the winter, where areas to the north and northwest see 6" of snow or more.

Good luck! We all hope here at the CT forum you and your family consider the state.

[ctnski]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

Good luck! We all hope here at the CT forum you and your family consider the state.

Indeed we shall. My dad always called me CT, for Craig Thomas. So if the name fits....