[CountryGirl2b=]

I lived in CT for many years but 5 years ago relocated to Nashville (actually Franklin) due to the cost of living. Property taxes are 1/4 of what they were in CT. The BIGGEST savings is the cost of electricity. In the winter, we had electric heat and no possibility of changing, we had one bill that was over $700 for a 1500 sq foot condo. Here in TN my electric and gas bill combined are rarely over $200. CT is a very expensive state. I wouldn't retire there unless I had a very large pension.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by richrf

Yes, Evanston is about 250/100,000 and New Haven is 5 times greater. Being #3 on the list of medium size cities with violent crime is a rather unique positioning.

Evanston and Oak Brook are two cities with much more violent crime than average in Chicago suburbs and if the OP can imagine a place with 5X that number, it will give her a pretty good idea of what to expect in New Haven. My guess is that she is living in a much quieter area in the Chicago suburbs, more comparable to Naperville.

Let's face it, anyone who recommends New Haven really should mention the crime issue. If not, I am sure someone else on the forum will.

Again this is because New Haven is the urban core of a metropolitan area just like the City of Chicago is. The difference is that New Haven is much smaller, not only in population but in area. New Haven is less than 1/10th the area of the City of Chicago (20 square miles verses 234). If you add the towns adjacent to New Haven to bring the size in line with Chicago's, you will see the crime rate drastically drop since adjacent towns have much lower crime rates. Jay.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Again this is because New Haven is the urban core of a metropolitan area just like the City of Chicago is. The difference is that New Haven is much smaller, not only in population but in area. New Haven is less than 1/10th the area of the City of Chicago (20 square miles verses 234). If you add the towns adjacent to New Haven to bring the size in line with Chicago's, you will see the crime rate drastically drop since adjacent towns have much lower crime rates. Jay.

I agree when comparing apples to apples, because it's an unfair comparison. But if a poster is moving to New Haven, they are moving to that urban core (closer to crime) and not one of the surrounding suburbs. Because that, the crime rate should definitely be addressed IMO. I always post thinking about what I would want to hear if I were on the other end - and if I were moving to NH knowing nothing about the city, I'd want to be clued in.

[CTartist]

I thought I would post something I saw today about jobs at Yale.

Yale University is Hiring for Hundreds of Jobs | Patch

[richrf]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Again this is because New Haven is the urban core of a metropolitan area just like the City of Chicago is. The difference is that New Haven is much smaller, not only in population but in area. New Haven is less than 1/10th the area of the City of Chicago (20 square miles verses 234). If you add the towns adjacent to New Haven to bring the size in line with Chicago's, you will see the crime rate drastically drop since adjacent towns have much lower crime rates. Jay.

It's not a question of why New Haven has so much crime, it is a matter of informing the OP that such a situation exists.

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by richrf

It's not a question of why New Haven has so much crime, it is a matter of informing the OP that such a situation exists.

It is not that New Haven has so much crime (this is arguable), it is that it has a higher crime rate. There is a difference. A crime rate is the percentage of crime per resident. Because the City of New Haven is so small and contains the urban core of a larger metropolitan area, that rate is higher than a city like Chicago which sprawls across a couple of hundred square miles. Would you discourage someone from living in downtown Chicago because there is high crime on the south side? No, you wouldn't. Why would New Haven or any other city for that matter be any different. Jay

[richrf]

Originally Posted by JayCT

It is not that New Haven has so much crime (this is arguable), it is that it has a higher crime rate. There is a difference. A crime rate is the percentage of crime per resident. Because the City of New Haven is so small and contains the urban core of a larger metropolitan area, that rate is higher than a city like Chicago which sprawls across a couple of hundred square miles. Would you discourage someone from living in downtown Chicago because there is high crime on the south side? No, you wouldn't. Why would New Haven or any other city for that matter be any different. Jay

The whole point of violent crime rate per 100,000 is to provide information as to the probability of being victim of a crime. In New Haven, which is comparable to size to Stamford, there is a 5x higher probability. Of course, this can be further refined but neighborhood and zip code. Having security guards on every corner in downtown New Haven to guard the future rich and powerful political leaders of our country certainly helps reduce crime. But then it feels like Hyde Park Chicago, (home of U. of Chicago), which is a fortress surrounded by fairly active crime areas.

[DCO96]

I can appreciate the dilemma in deciding where to move. We have moved a few times and last year we moved from NY to CT. Its a great place with a surprising amount going on. So many people on this site provided me great info to help me think about where to focus my search. If you are considering CT - I can say, when we were searching for houses, my husband and I stayed in the scranton seahorse inn. The owner was very nice to us and you are in downtown Madison so its a fun place to stay.
We now live in Guilford and have loved it. As a new person I can say there is definitely a new vs old resident thing happening. That said, it hasn't stopped us from making great new friends.
When you do move, know that each town has a newcomers club. Its a great way to meet new people and find new interesting places to go. People of all ages are members. For that matter, you can likely find a newcomers club no matter where you move.
As a NY'er I miss the abundance of available shopping. You have to do a bit more driving here and I have done a lot more shopping online these days. That critique aside... from my view... I don't think you can go wrong along the CT shoreline.

[CTartist]

Originally Posted by DCO96

I can appreciate the dilemma in deciding where to move. We have moved a few times and last year we moved from NY to CT. Its a great place with a surprising amount going on. So many people on this site provided me great info to help me think about where to focus my search. If you are considering CT - I can say, when we were searching for houses, my husband and I stayed in the scranton seahorse inn. The owner was very nice to us and you are in downtown Madison so its a fun place to stay.
We now live in Guilford and have loved it. As a new person I can say there is definitely a new vs old resident thing happening. That said, it hasn't stopped us from making great new friends.
When you do move, know that each town has a newcomers club. Its a great way to meet new people and find new interesting places to go. People of all ages are members. For that matter, you can likely find a newcomers club no matter where you move.
As a NY'er I miss the abundance of available shopping. You have to do a bit more driving here and I have done a lot more shopping online these days. That critique aside... from my view... I don't think you can go wrong along the CT shoreline.

That's awesome to see! I am hoping to move to either Branford, Guilford or Madison in retirement. My husband and I are also looking forward to getting involved with and making art at the Guilford Art Center. I am sure we will find many kindred souls and friends there. I live in Trumbull FFC now. It is good to see my impressions of the area confirmed on here by someone who has moved to the area for retirement.

BTW, I think the Bed & Breakfast my husband and I walk past on the Post Road in Madison is the Scranton Seahorse Inn and it is awesome. I was confusing this one with the other one in Madison.

[RunD1987]

Tough choice ha. Many colleges in the state are in urban area's that may not be the safest area. Some hospitals in the state are not in the safest area's or if they are in decent area's not near a college or urban area.

With that said you can look into Putnam, Cheshire/Hamden line, Sharon, New Milford, Southbury, Torrington/Litchfield, and Stonington.

Southbury has Heritage Village decent area buildings are getting to be a bit old running down, but building new buildings as well. Pretty much everyone is retired there a lot of activities for people 60 and over.

Castle Heights of Cheshire is nice, but expensive. Quaker Green of West Hartford is nice I know didn't mention it, but the area is nice. You are close to hospitals, shopping area's, close to Litchfield/Mass/Hartford, and near a few colleges.