[LP640]

Which is wealthier? Which is closer to the city by car?

Can anyone compare the two for me? Thanks.

[glxyman21]

New Caanan's per capita income is higher than Greenwich. Greenwhich is closer to NYC by car.

Greenwich is a city of over 60,000 while New Caanan is a suburban town of about 25,000. New Caanan is more quiet than Greenwich and mostly consists of single family homes. Greenwich has a more diverse range of housing and a large down town area. Greenwhich also has easier access to I-95 and the parkway while also having an express train into Grand Central.

[JayCT]

Both Greenwich and New Canaan are beautiful towns. It would depend on type of neighborhood you are looking for. As glxyman noted Greenwich is a larger more urban town, while New canaan is smaller and quieter. I believe that Greenwich is the more expensive and wealthier town even though the per capitia income in New Canaan is higher. Greenwich has the wealthiest zip code in the country and is known for being the home of the super-rich and famous. It is among the most desirable towns in the country, up there with Beverly hills and Palm Beach. Also note that New Canaan is located inland while Greenwich has a long extensive shoreline that is lined with some of the most spectacular estates in the world. If you want to be near the water, stick with Greenwich. If you want a quieter life in a smakk town setting then go with New Canaan. Hope this helps. Jay

[UrbanQuest]

Greenwich is a bit more diverse as well. I believe there is a very small part of Greenwich bordering Port Chester where the working class folks live. This population pocket is what probably brings Greenwich's income levels down, where New Canaan has no area where common folks could live. So I would agree that Greenwich overall has more wealth than New Canaan, although New Canaan is much more sterile and perfect and pure in it's lifestyle and definite abundance of wealth as well (quieter also). There is another 2 towns in southern Fairfield that could be thrown in as well; Darien and Westport. These four towns are the four upper class jewels of the New York Metro. Barring the Hamptons which are vacation retreats no other towns on the East Coast can compare. In the midwest, Winnetka and Lake Forest are the only ones that could even hold a candle and in the west; Beverly Hills, Laguna Beach, Rancho Santa Fe, La Jolla and perhaps Sausalito and Mill Valley.

[notjustamom]

I agree with everything said so far, although New Canaan does actually have easy access to the Merritt Parkway. The parkway borders the town.

There are two train stations in New Canaan, but you will need to switch trains in Stamford to go to NYC.

There are some lesser expensive neighborhoods near the center of town in New Canaan (such as the Forest/Summer st. area), but it is still prohibitively expensive. Editing to say that I just did a quick check out of curiousity, there are some single family homes for sale in these downtown areas in the $600,000.00+ range, but they do need some updating.

[jjbradleynyc]

New Canaan is much more of a "storybook" setting. Not kidding. Very quiet, rolling hills with forested landscapes, a boutique-type, charming downtown with upscale shops, and gorgeous homes that easily average around $1 million plus. It's a very, very upscale place. Greenwich, of course, is Greenwich. Beverly Hills east--as they say. But, Greenwich has some working class areas (albeit small pockets). Greenwich has around 61,000 people, compared to New Canaan's 23k or so.

[Tresser Boulevard]

Originally Posted by LP640

Which is closer to the city by car?

Get a map!!!

[skaneatelesmom]

I've lived in both,(grew up in Greenwich and lived in New Canaan for a few years after getting married.) Biggest difference is size. Greenwich has different neighborhoods (Old Greenwich, Cos Cob, Riverside... New Canaan doesn't. Greenwich, for me, has lost that small town feel. New Canaan has not. Both are ridiculously wealthy, but also friendly. Greenwich is a MUCH easier commute. Given the option, I'd choose Old Greenwich, which is still Greenwich, but has a small town feel to it. Can't go wrong with either Greenwich or New Canaan.
Jo