[Prash77]

Hi All,

I will be moving from VA to CT for work reasons. We have 2 kids - 6 & 1 yr old. Need inputs from this group on location and apartment communities which meet below requirements:-

1) Work location - Cheshire
2) Safety is an important consideration
3) School - my son will be going to 1st grade. So need good public elementary schools
4) Will be renting( 2 bedroom) and no plans to own a house for now
5) Would prefer location with open spaces(parks) and easy of accessibility to indoor activities for kids during winter

Thanks in advance to all for their help

[KH02]

You dont list your budget for a 2 bedroom, that would help me narrow down an area for you. How much are you looking to spend?
But you could look into Cheshire itself, they have good public schools though no apartment complexes really so you would need to find a condo or home for rent.

[Stylo]

Cheshire is a good option, just not much for apartments. There will be some home and condo rentals though. You may find more rentals in Wallingford, Southington, and Orange - which are good towns within a reasonable commute with good schools (Orange having the highest ranked schools). Those towns have a bit more going on and are more convenient to amenities than Cheshire. You may also want to look into North Haven.

[Prash77]

My budget is around $1400 and can stretch it to $1500 max. I have looked on various sites including Craig list but the options are very limited for Cheshire and hardly any for Orange. Wallingford and Southngton does have some options but again they have only 1 bath. With a family of 4 and relatives / friends visiting I am looking for 2 bath as well.

Which are the areas or communities in North Haven I should check?

Any areas to avoid in Wallingford and Southington. Is public transport available from these places to New Haven or you need your own car. Any idea if these areas have any Asian Indian population?

[Stylo]

For that budget and needs you'll probably find more value in Wallingford. Your budget would be really tough in Orange especially.

Public transportation to New Haven is limited. Best would be by train from towns like West Haven or Milford. West Haven doesn't have great schools, and Milford is a bit of a commute to Cheshire - though it does have a lot of rentals, and a decent Indian population.

[Csiko]

I checked, there's only one place for rent in Wallingford (on Zillow anyway) with 2 bathrooms, and that's for $2k. Everything else is cheaper and has 2 bedrooms, but only one bathroom. Gonna be incredibly hard to find that on your budget in the immediate area.

There are no seedy parts of Wallingford, but you may want to try stretching your budget a bit. I imagine you'll probably be making more here since the cost of living is higher...

[Stylo]

Here's one in Milford: 185 Melba St, Milford, CT 06460 is For Rent - Zillow

I had a friend that lived there. Certainly isn't luxury, but isn't bad either. Nice area, good schools, and public transportation to New Haven. But it's a 35 minute drive to Cheshire.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by Csiko

I checked, there's only one place for rent in Wallingford (on Zillow anyway) with 2 bathrooms, and that's for $2k. Everything else is cheaper and has 2 bedrooms, but only one bathroom. Gonna be incredibly hard to find that on your budget in the immediate area.

There are no seedy parts of Wallingford, but you may want to try stretching your budget a bit. I imagine you'll probably be making more here since the cost of living is higher...

There are plenty of affordable options if the OP sacrifices on 2 bathrooms, which they may have to in this area if they want good schools.

The only other places I can think of that'll be cheaper and decent are Middletown or Hamden.

[hvexpatinct]

Middletown would be in the budget. I don't think there is anything wrong with the elementary schools there. It also has a somewhat diverse population. You will need a car no matter what.

[JMU1450]

Forget Milford. Too far...look in North Haven, Wallingford and Southington.