[missingnyc]

Hello..I recently moved here from NYC in search of affordable housing. A friend of mine found us a rental in Hartford (South End?) and I have to say..it's nothing to shout about. People speed, they don't yeild to pedestrians, and there appears to be a great deal of slum lords. lI'm a school teacher (on maternity leave) as well as a mother of five..so I'm looking for a SAFE, AFFORDABLE, neighborhood, with DECENT (if not great) schools. My realtor suggested Blue Hills....any thoughts about this? Can anyone recommend a neighborhood that meets the above with home prices below 250k? Thanks so much

[leoberman]

I can't tell if you are restricting yourself to Hartford. If you are, good luck. Hartford schools are among the worst in the state. Maybe some of the magnet schools might be a bit better. Blue Hills? That's North End right? Not exactly the safest area unless, maybe, you and your family are shut-ins. Of course there are always home invasions to worry about but I digress...Hartford is definitely affordable, especially when compared to NYC.

Oh, forget about the South End too, please. Your initial apprehensions are spot on...

[JayCT]

MissingNYC - I responded to this question on another thread you posted it on, but will again repeat my answer. You might want to consider one of the adjacent suburbs if you are looking for a home in a town with decent schools. Hartford schools have issues particularly in the older grades. Towns near Hartford to consider would be Windsor, Bloomfield and Wethersfield. If you do want to stay in Hartford consider the West End. I am not sure about homes in your price range there but there are people that regularly post here that could help. If you are interested in information on schools, below are links to the Connecticut Department of Education's strategic profiles for each school district in the state and each school in the state. Hope this helps. Jay

Strategic School Profiles by District

Strategic School Profiles by School

[mels]

I would also look at Manchester. There is a wide price range of homes in decent areas and I believe the schools are good.

[missingnyc]

Thanks for all the information..especially the school links. I think that will be my deciding factor when searching for a home. I've heard that West Hartford Schools are great(from this forum..kudos)..unfortunately it's out of my price range. I think I'll tell my realtor to shove it if Blue Hills is as scary as it sounds. Thanks for the lead on Manchester though....Please post ..If you think of anything else that might help. Thanks again!!!

[missingnyc]

I forgot to mention that I'm not wedded to Hartford although I plan on working in Hartford/East Hartford. I'm used to commuting an hour each way to work so I wouldn't mind the commute from a suburb outside of Hartford if it was worth it (housing under 250K, decent schools, safe neighborhood). Thanks Again!!

[TiZZ]

Windsor would be my recommendation. Very easy access via 91 and 291 to Hartford and East Hartford (under 15 minutes from almost any point in Windsor to those two destinations). Windsor offers decent schools and safer neighborhoods than Blue Hills. There are plenty of houses available in your price range in Windsor, and in this buyer's market you should be able to find something suitable.

I try to refrain from bashing Hartford as it is my home and i like to leave the trash talking to the suburbanites, but Blue Hills is generally a dump. My father lived there for years in the 1980's and 1990's. The neighborhood has made major strides since then, but remains a major work in progress.

Also, if you are not Jamaican you will not fit in. Blue Hills has the highest percentage of Jamaican residents in America, and non-Jamaicans stick out badly.