[Crysie Ree]

I wrote a few weeks back about moving to Connecticut. Well, my fiance and I have narrowed it down to four choices. We did as much research as we could and the four choices we have come up with are {in no particular order} are:

Clinton
East Haven
Milford
Southington

Does anyone have anymore information to offer on these towns? They all seem great and we've heard a lot of nice things about them. Or, if anyone else has any other suggestiong on towns? We're looking to stay within two hours of NYC seeing as my fiance has family there. We're also looking for places with reasonable housing prices. We want to stay under, or atleast around, $300,000 for a house. We also want someplace with good schools for when we have children and also someplace really low key and chill. We're very quiet, modest, friendly people.

Thank you so much in advance for your help everyone!

Crystal

[momfromct]

I think Clinton or Milford might be your best choice. I don't think East Haven is a very nice town. A little shady. And Southington is a little up there (north) Milford has a lot of shore and is pretty big, has lots of different parts to it. I don't really know that much about Clinton, but I'm pretty sure it's a nice town.

Originally Posted by Crysie Ree

I wrote a few weeks back about moving to Connecticut. Well, my fiance and I have narrowed it down to four choices. We did as much research as we could and the four choices we have come up with are {in no particular order} are:

Clinton
East Haven
Milford
Southington

Does anyone have anymore information to offer on these towns? They all seem great and we've heard a lot of nice things about them. Or, if anyone else has any other suggestiong on towns? We're looking to stay within two hours of NYC seeing as my fiance has family there. We're also looking for places with reasonable housing prices. We want to stay under, or atleast around, $300,000 for a house. We also want someplace with good schools for when we have children and also someplace really low key and chill. We're very quiet, modest, friendly people.

Thank you so much in advance for your help everyone!

Crystal

[skytrekker]

Crystal

Of all the towns you named, Southington would have home prices as you specified, in addition it would offer a low key way of living, with good schools and a good sense of community for family life.

Milford and Clinton are great choices as well, but housing prices are likely to be higher.

[Crysie Ree]

Ironically enough Milford and Southington are our top two choices lol.

[JayCT]

Crysie Ree - The towns mentioned are somewhat diverse and not located near each other. East Haven schools perform well below the state averages on the Connecticut Mastery Test scores and has class sizes that are a bit large (above 20 students per class). The other towns all score above the state average and have reasonable class sizes. Clinton is the highest scorring of the towns listed followed by Miilford. Southington has one high school and it is large by Connecticut standards. I have been told by residents that it is pretty crowded.

Personally I like Clinton the best of the towns mentioned. It is a small beach town/suburb with a quite feel. If you want a town with a little more action, then Milford would be a good choice. Lots of shopping and restaurant choices plus it is easily accessible to New Haven and New York. I hope this helps. Jay

[salatheel]

I lived in Milford 15 years amd know those other towns well. Milford would be my first choice but it depends on your priorities. If you like a small countryish town close to the water Clinton might be best. If you want the most house for the money Southington would be best. I wouldn't consider East HAven. Milford has the most amenities by far.

[gomet]

Hey Salatheel !

How was your move to SC?

Hope everything went fine for you.

[sun]

Southington & Cental CT has a lot more to offer as far as quality of life, amenities and services, affordability, colleges, interstate access, closer to the Capitol region, more corporations and job opportunities, and cultural events.
Clinton might be the quietist area, but it's a little too quiet in the winter when the tourists leave, and the area doesn't offer nearly as much shopping, conveniences, or medical services.

[wavehunter007]

Originally Posted by Crysie Ree

I wrote a few weeks back about moving to Connecticut. Well, my fiance and I have narrowed it down to four choices. We did as much research as we could and the four choices we have come up with are {in no particular order} are:

Clinton
East Haven
Milford
Southington

Does anyone have anymore information to offer on these towns? They all seem great and we've heard a lot of nice things about them. Or, if anyone else has any other suggestiong on towns? We're looking to stay within two hours of NYC seeing as my fiance has family there. We're also looking for places with reasonable housing prices. We want to stay under, or atleast around, $300,000 for a house. We also want someplace with good schools for when we have children and also someplace really low key and chill. We're very quiet, modest, friendly people.

Thank you so much in advance for your help everyone!

Crystal

Just to give you the whole picture - a few things to keep in mind. If you plan on going into NYC occasionally, coastal Connecticut is far more convenient and close to the NYC area. The Metro North Trains are fantastic, and serve the whole Connecticut coast. Most run every 25-min to NYC. Up in Souhington, driving may be your only choice, although I would think Amtrak offers service once a day (don’t know for sure).

Another thing is although the metro Hartford area may have more professional job oppurtiunes, in my opinion it’s not nearly as fun as New Haven. Yale and the area collages around New Haven give New Haven a more vibrant and younger feel. As a city, Hartford can be pretty dead after 5:00 PM. Cultural, New Haven is a little richer to me - art galleries, the Shubert Theater, old Yale buildings, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Little Italy, the old Lighthouse. Hartford has more of a New England feel, New Haven more of an Atlantic/East Coast feel. Also, for medical services one of the best Hospital in the world -Yale New Haven Hospital is in New Haven and Guilford. Several people we know have come from other states just to use the major facilities. Hopefully, you’ll never be sick though.

Although Clinton or Milford would not be my first choice (I would look at North Branford, Branford, Guilford - for NYC access), the shoreline of Connecticut is quite but close to NYC. Lastly, remember the snow thing, the further north in Connecticut, old winter winter snows on you more and more. Clinton, Branford, Milford, will have about 30% less snow and driving will be less hazardous.

[glxyman21]

Well if Milford and Southington are your top two choices then concentrate on those the most. Both have their pros and cons. Milford is a shoreline town so you have the beach, if you like the coast that is the place for you. Southington is an inland town situated in a valley; if you like hills/mountains and trails this town would fit your bill.

Both towns have ample shopping, Milford has more along with a mall and rt. 1 can be very congested because of this. Southington's rt. 10 (shopping area) is a small stretch of box commercial.

Milford is closer to New Haven and Southington is situated halfway between Hartford and New Haven (20-25 min to each) so Its a toss up between that situation..really not much of a difference. Southington does not have a train station so to catch metro north you would drive to New Haven. There is occasional service in Berlin and Waterbury but these would be more expensive to go to NYC. Milford does have a station on the line.

Milford has a pop of 54,000 and Southington a pop of around 42,000. Milford will be more densly populated as the town's foot print is smaller and has a higher population while Southington will be a bit more spread out.