[ScuddersFalls]

Okay First of all I am new to these forums, so I hope I am posting this in the right place.

I just found a new job in Norwich CT and must move to CT from Pennington, NJ. I am looking at rural areas in connecticut. I have 4 kids so we will need a somewhere with a good school system. My budget for housing is $500,000.

I really hate living in the city so I am looking for rural areas. 40 miles is my limit to commuting. By the way I have visited CT before but only to Fairfield, Waterbury, and Hartford. So I really don't know about these areas. I have researched them on here, and I have narrowed my choices down to certain towns.

I decided that I'd prefer to live either off of CT-2 (Glastonbury, Marlborough, Colchester) or
off of I-395 (Plainfield, Killingly, Putnam).

I really don't want to be on the coast because I-95 is a high traffic highway and I am trying to escape from high traffic places. I am trying to avoid anything near I-95, I-91, or I-84. They are all highways that have quite a lot of traffic.

So do you think CT-2 towns or I-395 towns are a better choice? I am also looking for places that amenities such as shops, restaurants, etc,aren't too far. I really don't want be driving 20+ miles to get to those. It looks like CT-2 towns are nicer looking, but I-395 towns are more convenient for amenities. Killingly seems to be the best choice for amenities. Can someone confirm this with me?

If you have a recommendation to any other towns that I haven't listed feel free to say as well and I can look into those.

Could you please help me choose this as I am having a hard time, and my wife and kids are torn as well. If you have any further questions, please ask.

[NewJeffCT]

Congrats on your job offer, and welcome to Connecticut. At least coming from NJ, you won't be suffering sticker shock on a move to Connecticut!

If schools are important to you, Glastonbury, Marlborough and Colchester would be far better choices than Killingly, Putnam and Plainfield. The school systems in the "Quiet Corner" of the state are below average.

And, once you get east of New Haven, traffic on 95 is only heavy during summer weekends when people go to the beaches. It's a far cry from 95 in New Jersey - once you cross the bridge from Old Saybrook to Old Lyme, 95 narrows to 2 lanes each way! So, don't rule out areas like Old Saybrook, Old Lyme, East Haddam and East Lyme,as well as Stonington/Mystic and North Stonington. East Haddam and Old Lyme are generally rural, but close enough to all the shopping/restaurants in Waterford, Old Saybrook and even Middletown (from East Haddam). All of the towns above have good school systems and are reasonable commutes to Norwich.

Glastonbury has a lot of good restaurants, as well as shopping, but also is large enough area-wise to have rural and rural feeling areas in town. In Marlborough, you have some amenities, but will probably go into Glastonbury or Colchester for other amenities. It's more rural than Glastonbury. Colchester is kind of in-between Glastonbury and Marlborough - it has a lot of amenities in town and is a growing suburban area. You'll get more house for your money in Marlborough or Colchester than in Glastonbury, but Glastonbury has some of the best schools in the state.

[NewJeffCT]

If you don't mind be nearing the University of Connecticut, Mansfield offers a lot of unique homes and some outstanding schools.

[willow wind]

Plainfeld, Killingly, Putnam are old mill towns that have seen better days. They're mostly blue collar and the economy up that way is somewhat depressed.

There are very pretty, picturesque ,rural type towns in that region, Pomfret & Woostock come to mind first but there is not much else there. Shopping, consists of the usual basics, plus some big box stores.

Glastonbury. Colchester & nearby are probably your better choices. Schools are better, the area is more upscale. The shoreline is also a possibility. As NewJeff noted, there is not a lot of traffic on 1-95 east of Old Saybrook and to RI. Rt 395 is open, lightly traveled road. Rt 2 is also easy enough to travel. That could include Stonington and East Lyme into your home search.

Personally, I'd look in Colchester first. It's growing, has some new /plus newer construction at what are still reasonable prices. All the basic amenities are there ( state parks, shops, hospital satellite clinic, movie theater, etc.). It's an easy commute to major malls in Waterford & Manchester. It's just 20 minutes to Norwich doing the speed limit on a no traffic section of Rt 2.

[goldenage1]

Originally Posted by willow wind

All the basic amenities are there ( state parks, shops, hospital satellite clinic, movie theater, etc.). It's an easy commute to major malls in Waterford & Manchester. It's just 20 minutes to Norwich doing the speed limit on a no traffic section of Rt 2.

Plus a wonderful bakery in Colchester and a classic New England town green.

[ScuddersFalls]

Thanks for pointing out the info about rural towns off of I-95 east of the CT river. Yeah How are East Lyme and Waterford compared to Marlborough and Colchester?

[Stylo]

Luckily most of that area is pretty rural. Marlborough, Hebron, Colchester is a good option. In the other direction, Stonington and North Stonington are very nice. Chester and East Haddam are beautiful. Old Lyme is very nice, it's coastal in parts and a little more dense, but still very quiet. Old Saybrook is another really rounded coastal town, very nice town center, convenient shopping, low key, LOW taxes for CT.

[willow wind]

East Lyme is considered to have the best schools in that region of CT. It has a walkable downtown with local shops and easy access to marinas and beaches. In addition to its own town beach, East Lyme is home to the 900+ acre Rocky Neck state park.

Waterford is a nice little town, without a defined town center which leaves it lacking in the charm department, IMO. It is south east CT's shopping area. It does have its own local shopping, but also has the Crystal Mall, plus the big box stores ( Lowe's, Home Depot, BJ's. ) Schools are decent.

You have a lot of really good choices, most will depend on whether you want be on the shore or inland,

[NewJeffCT]

Waterford isn't the most attractive of towns - all the big box stores along Route 85, and it's not really very rural.

East Lyme is a nice town with very good schools. It has the nice walkable downtown like willow says, but it's also not very rural. There are small rural areas within town, but it's not like Glastonbury in that regards. The tax rate is much lower than Glastonbury, though.

[JayCT]

There are many nice towns to consider and most mentioned here are good. If you are looking to live in an area similar to Pennington, I do not think I would recommend living along the I-395 corridor. Though nice enough, the towns on the corridor are fairly small and not very exciting. Your choice would be to head south on I-395 to Waterford or East Lyme or up Route 2 to Colchester, Marlborough or Glastonbury. Another town to consider just off Route 2 would be Hebron. And you might want to look at Salem which is a nice small town between Colchester and Waterford.

For more information on schools in Connecticut check the link below. I generally recommend looking for schools that perform at or above the state averages on the Connecticut Mastery and Connecticut Academic Performance Tests. Jay

State Department of Education - CEDaR