[jp03]

Hello..any ideas on these cities? We are looking to move to the area next summer (hopefully as we have a house to sell and we al know how variable that is ) ... We have narrowed our search to this area...I will be working in Trumbull and my wife has not even started looking. Thanks for any insights

[JayCT]

Well first of all, these are not really cities. They are towns. Stratford is a somewhat middle class blue collar suburb of Bridgeport. It is very nice, is located on Long Island Sound so there are public beaches and has a train station on the Metro-North Commuter Railroad's New Haven Line so you have good access to New York City and lower Fairfield County. Stratford has many nice neighborhoods but also one or two that are a bit questionable. The schools are good and there are many nice parks and a lot of family activities. There is a lot of shopping in or nearby and there are plenty of good restaurants and entertainment options.

Shelton is located immediately north of Straford and is a former industrial town that has seen its back-country areas boom with housing and commercial development. Long one of the more affordable places to live in Fairfield County, Shelton has grown into a vibrant suburb and home prices have soared. Shelton has a lot of corporate office parks and shopping centers as well as many good restaurants. The Huntington and White Hills areas are very nice and now getting pretty upscale.

Seymour is a Naugatuck River valley factory town that has seen it major industries close. It is now becoming a suburban town. It has a nice small downtown area with interesting shops and restaurants, though for major shopping you would have to travel to adjacent communities. Its schools are good and there are activities for families. It is a town that is really beginning to change. I hope this helps. Jay

[jp03]

Thanks Jay! Each area seems to have its own plusses.... I appreciate the input and we will figure this out over time..

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by jp03

Hello..any ideas on these cities? We are looking to move to the area next summer (hopefully as we have a house to sell and we al know how variable that is ) ... We have narrowed our search to this area...I will be working in Trumbull and my wife has not even started looking. Thanks for any insights

Jay has given a great description of the three towns. If you're working in Trumbull, Shelton would probably be closest but it will also be the most expensive of the three towns. Huntington and White Hills are beautiful and as noted above, are becoming the typical upscale Fairfield County communities. Shelton is also part of the Naugatuck River Valley.

Seymour is also a great town. The schools are good and lately the town has been transformed from a working class mill town to a middle/upper middle class suburban town. Many of those in Seymour work in Fairfield County hence the rise in traffic on Route 8 through Derby during rush hour. The downtown is nice with many antique shops, banks, restaurants, and a convenient Metro-North train station.

Stratford is another great town. Home prices are affordable (for Fairfield County) and it's close to shopping. There are many quaint neighborhoods in town with friendly people and safe streets. I am considering Stratford myself (from Stamford) because the COL in Stamford is very high. My other half is going to be working near New Haven so we're looking for a reasonably priced town in between that is on the Metro-North line.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by JayCT

Stratford is a somewhat middle class blue collar suburb of Bridgeport.

Just for clarification purposes, Stratford isn't a borough of, nor does it share services with, the city of Bridgeport.

[pmeek2309]

We looked at homes in all three towns. Shelton was very nice as was Seymour. Stratford was a little too suburban for what we are used to but it seems like a wonderful town. We ended up choosing Oxford. There is a little more space and greenery and we liked the rural feel of the Quaker Farms area.

If you want suburban, probably go with Stratford.

[andthentherewere3]

I am not entirely sure what constitutes a "city", but Shelton does call itself a city, and the residents I know who live there refer to it as a city. It's population is around 40,000, less than Stratford at 50,000 and Seymour of only 15,000. To me, Shelton seems more developed with more businesses and shopping, than Stratford is. Although Stratford has a lot of businesses and shopping, too. There are still areas of Shelton that are mostly residential, though. The same with Stratford. Of course the areas with more open space and larger lots tend to be more expensive. I agree with kidyankee that Shelton would probably be the most expensive of the three, depending on the area of town/city. I think it really depends on what specifically you are looking for when it comes to choosing a town. Are schools a consideration for you? Do you prefer a more rural location, or suburban? And have you considered Trumbull itself? Although, Trumbull would be pricier than Shelton/Stratford/Seymour.

[seymourct]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Seymour is also a great town. The schools are good and lately the town has been transformed from a working class mill town to a middle/upper middle class suburban town. Many of those in Seymour work in Fairfield County hence the rise in traffic on Route 8 through Derby during rush hour. The downtown is nice with many antique shops, banks, restaurants, and a convenient Metro-North train station.
.

If jp03 is going to work in Trumbull then there is not necessarily a reason to get on Route 8. You can cut over via route 34 (a beautiful ride in the mornings past the river and over the dam), and go down through Monroe into Trumbull. There are many ways to get through Seymour to route 34. We picked Seymour, and love it.

[andthentherewere3]

I live in Monroe; traffic on Rt. 111 from Monroe into Trumbull can get a little heavy during rush hour, especially in the mornings. Not only do you have commuters, but there are two schools on Rt. 111 in Monroe as well. I just wanted to point that out.

[jp03]

Originally Posted by seymourct

If jp03 is going to work in Trumbull then there is not necessarily a reason to get on Route 8. You can cut over via route 34 (a beautiful ride in the mornings past the river and over the dam), and go down through Monroe into Trumbull. There are many ways to get through Seymour to route 34. We picked Seymour, and love it.

Well, I think we are looking to be a little more rural than Stratford is. But I just don't know yet. Trumbull would be great but I think its too pricey for us. I think Shelton is getting that way too. Anyway, thanks for all this advice, how are the schools in Seymour?