[Stylo]

The aesthetics of Route 1 between Westport and Southport weren't that great for a while. Plenty of empty/blighted properties. Now that the economy has picked up, there's some new construction that has helped (example, beautiful Terrain building vs. the empty Cadillac dealership that sat there for years with broken windows).

RE: congestion, with all due respect - that's just not true. It sometimes took me 15 minutes just to get from downtown to the exit 18 connector in Westport. And unlike Milford with its primarily bad weekend traffic, which quiets down A LOT on weekdays - Westport's Route 1 is busy, all the time. I took the Merritt in the morning to avoid the 10+ minute delay I experienced regularly on the Post Road.

Norwalk probably has the ugliest commercial strip in that area. I always hated Westport Ave, too narrow, too crowded (terrible zoning), tons of traffic, and a close-call almost every time I went down there for lunch.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stylo

The aesthetics of Route 1 between Westport and Southport weren't that great for a while. Plenty of empty/blighted properties. Now that the economy has picked up, there's some new construction that has helped (example, beautiful Terrain building vs. the empty Cadillac dealership that sat there for years with broken windows).

RE: congestion, with all due respect - that's just not true. It sometimes took me 15 minutes just to get from downtown to the exit 18 connector in Westport. And unlike Milford with its primarily bad weekend traffic, which quiets down A LOT on weekdays - Westport's Route 1 is busy, all the time. I took the Merritt in the morning to avoid the 10+ minute delay I experienced regularly on the Post Road.

Norwalk probably has the ugliest commercial strip in that area. I always hated Westport Ave, too narrow, too crowded (terrible zoning), tons of traffic, and a close-call almost every time I went down there for lunch.

I didn't say anything about Norwalk.

Re: congestion - Milford is a lot bigger than Westport and serves as a shopping destination for many towns. Sorry but even many side roads in Milford are busy. This cannot be said for Westport.

The sea of lit up signs in Milford/Orange is ugly and much of it IMO looks a little trashy. Chains. Car dealerships. Lots of rusty old plazas that are in dire need of updating. That ugliness is not as abundant along the stretch in Fairfield in Westport.

[JayCT]

Please stop bickering and return to the topic of the OP. JayCT, Moderator

[JayCT]

From what I know, Princeton is a pretty upscale affluent community with very high performing schools. Neither Milford or North haven could be described as that. Both are middle class towns with good but not stellar school systems. In the New Haven area you really have to go to Woodbridge, Orange and Bethany's Amity school district or Madison for top schools. Another option would be to head down into Fairfield County for top performing schools but the prices then go sky high. Then again prices in Princeton are not cheap either.

Woodbridge, Orange and Bethany lack a downtown area but Madison has a small downtown that has some pretty interesting stores. The independent bookstore there, R. J. Julia, is one of the best in the state. The town has beautiful beaches and top schools. Many people from Yale that have families live there. Rentals are limited but not unheard of. The OP should look closer. JMHO, Jay

[Wilton2ParkAve]

Originally Posted by JayCT

From what I know, Princeton is a pretty upscale affluent community with very high performing schools. Neither Milford or North haven could be described as that. Both are middle class towns with good but not stellar school systems. In the New Haven area you really have to go to Woodbridge, Orange and Bethany's Amity school district or Madison for top schools. Another option would be to head down into Fairfield County for top performing schools but the prices then go sky high. Then again prices in Princeton are not cheap either.

Woodbridge, Orange and Bethany lack a downtown area but Madison has a small downtown that has some pretty interesting stores. The independent bookstore there, R. J. Julia, is one of the best in the state. The town has beautiful beaches and top schools. Many people from Yale that have families live there. Rentals are limited but not unheard of. The OP should look closer. JMHO, Jay

You care correct in your assessment of Princeton as a high achieving, affluent town more in the vain of Woodbridge or Westport. However, I don't think the OP is coming from Princeton proper. 2 bedroom rentals at $1,600 are unheard of in Princeton and Plainsboro, so my guess would be a bordering town.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Re: congestion - Milford is a lot bigger than Westport and serves as a shopping destination for many towns. Sorry but even many side roads in Milford are busy. This cannot be said for Westport.

It's just not true. Lived in Milford for 3 years, worked in Westport for 5. Route 1 from 33 all the way to the Sherwood Island connector is worse on a DAY-TO-DAY basis than any part of Milford. Route 1 from the mall to Costco in Milford is certainly worse on Saturdays and Sundays and around the holidays, but that's it. This is important to the topic at hand, because the traffic is Milford is grossly over-exaggerated by those who don't work/live here.

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

You care correct in your assessment of Princeton as a high achieving, affluent town more in the vain of Woodbridge or Westport. However, I don't think the OP is coming from Princeton proper. 2 bedroom rentals at $1,600 are unheard of in Princeton and Plainsboro, so my guess would be a bordering town.

Princeton itself has a very different feel than any CT town IMO. Tough to compare.

[Wilton2ParkAve]

Originally Posted by Stylo

It's just not true. Lived in Milford for 3 years, worked in Westport for 5. Route 1 from 33 all the way to the Sherwood Island connector is worse on a DAY-TO-DAY basis than any part of Milford. Route 1 from the mall to Costco in Milford is certainly worse on Saturdays and Sundays and around the holidays, but that's it. This is important to the topic at hand, because the traffic is Milford is grossly over-exaggerated by those who don't work/live here.

Princeton itself has a very different feel than any CT town IMO. Tough to compare.

Have you spent considerable time in Princeton? If so, are we talking Princeton boro, Princeton proper, Princeton junction?

[mlassoff]

Originally Posted by Stylo

The aesthetics of Route 1 between Westport and Southport weren't that great for a while. Plenty of empty/blighted properties.

Your anti-Westport is showing again.

Blight in Westport? Please.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stylo

It's just not true. Lived in Milford for 3 years, worked in Westport for 5. Route 1 from 33 all the way to the Sherwood Island connector is worse on a DAY-TO-DAY basis than any part of Milford. Route 1 from the mall to Costco in Milford is certainly worse on Saturdays and Sundays and around the holidays, but that's it. This is important to the topic at hand, because the traffic is Milford is grossly over-exaggerated by those who don't work/live here.

I'm not talking about just traffic congestion, I'm talking about how busy the town is overall - even on side roads. We can agree to disagree, but you (and others) who continue to say "you don't live/work here, you don't know it", really aren't helping your case. I've lived in the greater Milford area for years and know firsthand how the town is. You seem to forget that many in the region are very familiar with Milford inside and out - these same people can take advantage of Milford's downtown by driving only 10 minutes. It is not a small town that nobody knows about unless they live there.

Don't get me wrong. Milford is a solid town with good schools. But when people are searching for top performing schools, sorry but I cannot recommend Milford. It's also frustrating when I see another poster recommend Milford in nearly every post, even when the individual is looking at Madison/Westport and the like. Give me a break.

We will have to agree to disagree.

[danamer]

Originally Posted by Wilton2ParkAve

You care correct in your assessment of Princeton as a high achieving, affluent town more in the vain of Woodbridge or Westport. However, I don't think the OP is coming from Princeton proper. 2 bedroom rentals at $1,600 are unheard of in Princeton and Plainsboro, so my guess would be a bordering town.

We were renting a 2BR townhouse in Hampshire in Plainsboro, but would spend a lot of time in Princeton, since my husband worked there and we had quite a few friends there.

So it seems that we will have to rent in Orange, CT probably in Grand Reserve Orange, but i still do not understand what elementary shool would be there then? Since it is Amity School District, but on the district website I could not find what elementary schools are there.
Madison, Guilford sounds nice as well, but there is not much of rentals in our budget <=2000$.

Thank you all for advices.