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I live in Utah, but after a couple decades here (and a decade in suburban LA) I'm kind of over the west. Utah is home, but starting my own family now I'd like to find a new "home," maybe one that isn't a desert.
Last fall my wife and I visited New England for a vacation. We traveled all 6 states and really liked some of what we saw. We stayed for a couple nights in Montville. One day we drove out to the rural areas to the west and it was incredible. The other day we explored New London and went to an aquarium complex in Mystic. New London looked.. old.. but really pretty. The part of Mystic I saw was touristy, but overall the whole area just gave me a really positive impression.
What a beautiful state you guys have, having lived my whole life in the suburbs of Los Angeles or Salt Lake City, being somewhere that had rural areas so close to cities and... had... trees - so many trees! - and you guys had lakes that weren't dried up reservoirs or.. full of salt.. it was just incredible. East Haddam really impressed me. It's between that and Norwich, Vermont as to what my favorite parts of that trip were.
But I wanted some input of locals. Two days spent doing tourist things can't really tell me much.
What's the culture like like in Connecticut?
I'm a geologist, but only have 4-year degree (plus 4 years of professional experience), is there work there for people like me?
Is the state affordable? How expensive are livable homes in reasonable areas of town? (I don't mind a bit of a commute)
What are wages like compared to Utah? (A typical scientist/engineer with my experience will make about 50-65k here)
Are the schools good?
How bad are the bugs?
Do you have crime ridden areas that I should avoid? (New London kind of struck me as being that way, but.. I could be wrong..)
If you were 29 and had just had your first kid - would you consider Connecticut as a viable place to call home or would I be better off looking elsewhere?
Thanks in advance for any input. I'll definitely read any replies I get.
• What's the culture like like in Connecticut?
People from Connecticut (and New England in general) tend to be a bit more reserved than in other areas of the country. But, on the positive side, most people here also tend to not get into your business. So, you can find conservative church goers living right down the street from a gay couple. For culture, Connecticut is lucky to be between two of the country’s biggest cultural centers in New York City and Boston, and the state itself has a good arts and entertainment scene for a small state.
• I'm a geologist, but only have 4-year degree (plus 4 years of professional experience), is there work there for people like me?
No idea on that one – somebody else would need to answer you on that issue.
• Is the state affordable? How expensive are livable homes in reasonable areas of town? (I don't mind a bit of a commute)
Most of the towns in Connecticut are safe, but there is a huge variety in prices depending on how close to New York you are and how good the schools are in each particular town. The areas you mentioned like Mystic and New London will show you that – Mystic can be pretty pricey, especially on the water. The schools there are good. New London, however, is much more affordable. However, the schools there perform poorly and the areas around downtown New London are pretty sketchy. Other than Old Lyme, that part of the state is more affordable than the central Connecticut or Southwest Connecticut, unless you want a home on the beach. Most towns west of New Haven would be considerably more expensive, so unless your wife works and makes as much (or more) than you, it might be tough to afford.
• What are wages like compared to Utah? (A typical scientist/engineer with my experience will make about 50-65k here). I would assume you would get a bump in pay, but that might depend on what type of engineering. In the Mystic/New London area, you have Electric Boat/General Dynamics as a major engineering employer. In the Hartford area, you have UTC (Carrier, Otis, Pratt & Whitney), Stanley and others, and you also have more engineering jobs in SW Connecticut.
• Are the schools good?
Public schools in Connecticut are, on average, among the best in the country. However, Connecticut also has one of the biggest achievement gaps in the country as well – the poorer city schools perform terribly, while the wealthy suburbs do very well.
• How bad are the bugs?
Probably not nearly as bad as Florida.
• Do you have crime ridden areas that I should avoid? (New London kind of struck me as being that way, but.. I could be wrong..)
Avoid the cities and you should be fine – Hartford, Bridgeport, Waterbury, New Haven, New London, and a few others. Even the cities have some decent areas, but then you have the issues with the schools.
• If you were 29 and had just had your first kid - would you consider Connecticut as a viable place to call home or would I be better off looking elsewhere?
Connecticut is a great place to raise a family – the suburban areas are safe, have good schools and often have quite a few family activities. If you were 29 and single, you might want a more urban area, though.
I live in Utah, but after a couple decades here (and a decade in suburban LA) I'm kind of over the west. Utah is home, but starting my own family now I'd like to find a new "home," maybe one that isn't a desert.
Last fall my wife and I visited New England for a vacation. We traveled all 6 states and really liked some of what we saw. We stayed for a couple nights in Montville. One day we drove out to the rural areas to the west and it was incredible. The other day we explored New London and went to an aquarium complex in Mystic. New London looked.. old.. but really pretty. The part of Mystic I saw was touristy, but overall the whole area just gave me a really positive impression.
What a beautiful state you guys have, having lived my whole life in the suburbs of Los Angeles or Salt Lake City, being somewhere that had rural areas so close to cities and... had... trees - so many trees! - and you guys had lakes that weren't dried up reservoirs or.. full of salt.. it was just incredible. East Haddam really impressed me. It's between that and Norwich, Vermont as to what my favorite parts of that trip were.
But I wanted some input of locals. Two days spent doing tourist things can't really tell me much.
What's the culture like like in Connecticut?
I'm a geologist, but only have 4-year degree (plus 4 years of professional experience), is there work there for people like me?
Is the state affordable? How expensive are livable homes in reasonable areas of town? (I don't mind a bit of a commute)
What are wages like compared to Utah? (A typical scientist/engineer with my experience will make about 50-65k here)
Are the schools good?
How bad are the bugs?
Do you have crime ridden areas that I should avoid? (New London kind of struck me as being that way, but.. I could be wrong..)
If you were 29 and had just had your first kid - would you consider Connecticut as a viable place to call home or would I be better off looking elsewhere?
Thanks in advance for any input. I'll definitely read any replies I get.
Hi Geo - I am glad you enjoyed your visit to our state and are considering moving here. Connecticut is a beautiful state with a lot to offer but some people on this forum do not appreciate it. It is that old "grass is greener on the other side of the fence" syndrome. That said, let me answer some of your questions:
Connecticut (and New England for that matter)) is an older part of the country with more traditional values than you will find elsewhere in the country. That said our politics tend to lean liberal and religion plays a lesser part in our daily lives than other parts of the country. We here are reserved and respect others privacy so we may seem a bit cold and stand-offish. This part of the country has a lot of history and "Culture" and because it is old there is a lot here in a relatively small area.
I am not sure how much work there is for a geologist but if you are experienced in geotechnical soil analysis there could be work. There is a lot of transportation infrastructure going on and geotech engineers are not plentiful. Hartford tends to be the center of the civil engineering industry so you might want to look for opportunities there.
Connecticut is located between two of the highest priced metropolitan areas in the country (Boston and New York). Southwestern Connecticut (Fairfield County) is among the priciest places to live in the country. Away from the southwestern part, the state gets more affordable. IT still is likely pricier than Salt Lake City. I think salaries here compensate for the higher cost of living though. Engineers with a few years experience will make upper $50's to $80's. Again it depends on experience.
Connecticut has what is considered to be among the top public education systems in the country. This small state is divided up into 169 towns and cities and just about everyone has its own school district. Some smaller towns do belong to regional school districts but even those are pretty small in size. This system means that there is a lot of accountability and schools in most towns do perform very well. Most problems with education here are due to the socio-economic make up the schools. Schools in our cities tend to perform significantly worse than they do in adjacent suburbs. Once you find a job we can help you find a community with good schools to live in.
Connecticut does not have a lot of bugs. We have flies and mosquitos and ticks can be a problem if you live in more wooded areas.
Most major crime in Connecticut happens in our cities. Overall crime here is lower than the national average but because our cities are small in area and have the urban core of our metropolitan areas, crime rates tend to be higher. That is why you will cities like Hartford, New Haven or Bridgeport pop up on lists of high crime rates. The suburban areas of these cities are mostly other independent towns so their very low crime rate is not used to offset crimes in the urban center.
Connecticut is a great place to raise a family. There are many wonderful towns and most are family-oriented with many things for families to do. As noted education is given a very high priority here. The nice thing about Connecticut is that there is so much so near. We have beaches, mountains (small compared to Utah though), big cities, and quaint small towns. I think it would be a great place to consider living.
I should note to you that eastern Connecticut is the quieter part of the state. There are less job opportunities there because it is more rural. You should consider looking for jobs in the New Haven or Hartford areas and then find a home in one of the suburbs nearby. If you like more rural areas, you do not have to go too far from our cities to find wonderfully charming towns to live in. Good luck, Jay
I just moved to Stamford from Chicago. The rolling mountains and small towns are beautiful here and it's like being on a vacation as I visit them. Unfortunately, it feels like a permanent vacation. People here are aloof, prefer distance and enjoy their isolation. There is little to no way to meet new people, make new friends or enjoy life. In Fairfield County where I live its all about the money and the people are ice cold about it as they go as far as they can to display it. It's an extremely expensive place to live since there is big money here and you'll be competing against it for everything you do.
We're in the process of trying to locate another place to live since the boredom in Connecticut is quite pronounced. But that is not to say that there are areas that are obviously better. Finding a place that one can enjoy is probably more a matter of luck than anything else. In the meantime I'm going to continue my extended travel vacation.
I just moved to Stamford from Chicago. The rolling mountains and small towns are beautiful here and it's like being on a vacation as I visit them. Unfortunately, it feels like a permanent vacation. People here are aloof, prefer distance and enjoy their isolation. There is little to no way to meet new people, make new friends or enjoy life. In Fairfield County where I live its all about the money and the people are ice cold about it as they go as far as they can to display it. It's an extremely expensive place to live since there is big money here and you'll be competing against it for everything you do.
We're in the process of trying to locate another place to live since the boredom in Connecticut is quite pronounced. But that is not to say that there are areas that are obviously better. Finding a place that one can enjoy is probably more a matter of luck than anything else. In the meantime I'm going to continue my extended travel vacation.
I am not sure the OP would like the hustle and bustle, as well as the cost of living of Stamford (which is in Fairfield County). People there tend to be more New York oriented and the life style is more fast paced. I wonder if you would have been better off living in another part of our state. As for meeting people, there must be newcomers clubs you can consider. Jay
I am not sure the OP would like the hustle and bustle, as well as the cost of living of Stamford (which is in Fairfield County). People there tend to be more New York oriented and the life style is more fast paced. I wonder if you would have been better off living in another part of our state. As for meeting people, there must be newcomers clubs you can consider. Jay
I know plenty of people in FFC that relocated there, and none of them seem to have problems meeting other people. Of course, they're all parents, so probably met through some sort of activity for their children.
I'd also suggest trying a local church if you're at all religious.
And, while not in FFC, I know plenty of adults in CT that play in softball leagues, basketball leagues or other similar activities in their towns. That would be a great way to meet people. A lot of towns or regions also have pretty good community theater programs - even if you can't act or sing, get involved behind the scenes. They're always looking for volunteers.
Thanks for the replies. I enjoyed reading them. Good to know about the change in the state from east to west and the general concentration of undesirable qualities in the cities. Which is fine, leaving a metro of 2 million, I'd love to live in a rural tree'd area. Browsing Zillow last night I saw a couple homes in the 240-260 range in East Haddam. They were about the same size as mine here (which is in a working-class suburb and will sell for about 210-220), but with much larger lots. What are commutes from the small towns to the urban centers like? I noticed that people in New England seemed to have something against straight roads...?
Politically I'm very liberal and my wife is moderately liberal. I grew up religious, but have definitely become Agnostic in the last few years. She holds onto some of her religious traditions. Culturally these two things make a bit of an outcast in Utah. I won't get into the details, but I would love nothing more to live somewhere people don't inquire about my church activity or assume I believe like they do just because we look the same.
Thanks for the information about engineering and who the big players are. I've found, at least in Utah, most large engineering firms don't want to hire scientists, but I do work for a small environmental engineering consultant right now. Is there enough of an engineer shortage there that these companies employ scientists? My wife works full time, but her degree is in recreation management and she works in building supply sales, so her career is a bit less specific. I'm not sure she really has a specific area she'd want to work in.
The post from richrf worries me a little. Mostly the part about needing money. We both grew up in poverty, so we started out pretty broke and we all know the economy hasn't been super friendly to millenials yet. We have no debt (other than our house) but we're by no means wealthy and we'll never inherit anything. Would this make us lower-class in a place where, "its all about the money and the people ... go as far as they can to display it." Or would others say they've not had that experience?
Thanks for the replies. I enjoyed reading them. Good to know about the change in the state from east to west and the general concentration of undesirable qualities in the cities. Which is fine, leaving a metro of 2 million, I'd love to live in a rural tree'd area. Browsing Zillow last night I saw a couple homes in the 240-260 range in East Haddam. They were about the same size as mine here (which is in a working-class suburb and will sell for about 210-220), but with much larger lots. What are commutes from the small towns to the urban centers like? I noticed that people in New England seemed to have something against straight roads...?
Politically I'm very liberal and my wife is moderately liberal. I grew up religious, but have definitely become Agnostic in the last few years. She holds onto some of her religious traditions. Culturally these two things make a bit of an outcast in Utah. I won't get into the details, but I would love nothing more to live somewhere people don't inquire about my church activity or assume I believe like they do just because we look the same.
Thanks for the information about engineering and who the big players are. I've found, at least in Utah, most large engineering firms don't want to hire scientists, but I do work for a small environmental engineering consultant right now. Is there enough of an engineer shortage there that these companies employ scientists? My wife works full time, but her degree is in recreation management and she works in building supply sales, so her career is a bit less specific. I'm not sure she really has a specific area she'd want to work in.
The post from richrf worries me a little. Mostly the part about needing money. We both grew up in poverty, so we started out pretty broke and we all know the economy hasn't been super friendly to millenials yet. We have no debt (other than our house) but we're by no means wealthy and we'll never inherit anything. Would this make us lower-class in a place where, "its all about the money and the people ... go as far as they can to display it." Or would others say they've not had that experience?
Stamford/Norwalk and Hartford area has some engineering firms
The post from richrf worries me a little. Mostly the part about needing money. We both grew up in poverty, so we started out pretty broke and we all know the economy hasn't been super friendly to millenials yet. We have no debt (other than our house) but we're by no means wealthy and we'll never inherit anything. Would this make us lower-class in a place where, "its all about the money and the people ... go as far as they can to display it." Or would others say they've not had that experience?
That way of thinking is prevalent in only a handful of CT's 169 towns on the 'gold coast' in Fairfield County. There are deals to be had in the Hartford metro if you can land a job there. You can find modest homes in the 200-250K range in Tolland and Vernon, with a commute to Hartford in 30 minutes or less. If you live in those towns, you will find that for the most part, people are financially comfortable. I do not encounter flashy signs of wealth in the Hartford metro.
Yes, we love our windy, curvy back roads. They make for great Sunday drives. Keep in mind most have been around for hundreds of years, when the plans for roads followed the path of least resistance. Our topography also demands it at times.
My insurance agent told me there were plenty of ways to meet new people in Stamford (he is involved with the local chamber of commerce). He then offered me two $50 tickets to an upcoming fundraiser as one opportunity. ☺
There are no blues or jazz clubs here. No coffee shops in Stamford, the closest ones being in Greenwich or Darien where you can pay $4 for a cup (not a latte out anything like that, $4 for a cup of coffee), and people line up for it. There is virtually no art or anything that can resemble it. There are plenty of expensive restaurants where presumably the topic of discussion is making more money.
I asked the sales person at Barnes and Noble for the bestseller, Fighting Boredom in Connecticut. She didn't laugh. Her face just saddened and she then remarked: yes, it was such a shame that there wasn't more to do.
If people cared about living a full life, there would be much more to do. But they don't care. It's all about the money.
My strong recommendation is not to buy until you have had a chance to taste Connecticut life. I rented and am now exploring alternatives. I don't regret moving here and I am glad I rented. It has been a fabulous travel opportunity. The Northeast has an incredible amount of places to explore for the adventurer.
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