[MoHow]

My husband and I are considering moving to Bolton from West Hartford, with reasons being:
1) we found our *dream house* and, more importantly, can afford it; and
2) it would be a shorter commute to work.

However, we LOVE the relative "urbanity" of West Hartford as a suburb and will definitely miss it in a more rural setting like Bolton.

My request to you is to tell me why Bolton is so great. In other words, convince us to move to Bolton.

But also don't be afraid to tell me why I shouldn't move to Bolton, if that's what you think instead.

[ctcoldplay11]

Bolton is beautiful, and although it is rural, urban Manchester is the town just due West. In Manchester, you can find arguably the largest commerical center in the entire state and then going back to the peacefulness of Bolton would be ideal. Also, Bolton has its own highschool, and for such a small town this is impressive. The high school aged students don't have to commute to other towns, which can be a very important aspect in regards to schooling. Also, I-384 ends in the town which gives you easy access to I-84 and Hartford. All in all Bolton is a great town, and I truly encourage you to find your peace there.

Hope this helps!

[JayCT]

Bolton is a beautiful small town that has many nice larger lot new neighborhoods. I too like the peaceful charm of it. The schools in Bolton are very good with reasonable class sizes (less than 20 students per class) and students scoring well above the state averages on the Connecituct Mastery and Connecticut Academic Performance tests. Be aware though that because the system is so small, some class offerings may be limited. you can find more infromation on Bolton schools at the links below:

Strategic School Profiles by District

Strategic School Profiles by School

Another town you may want to consider that is closer to West Hartford but similar to Bolton is Burlington. Recently a friend asked for my help in looking at homes there and I was impressed what was available, the prices and the taxes. Good luck, Jay

[MoHow]

I heard that Bolton is bringing in sewer lines and that there are plans to renovate the old Cider Mill location... into a potentially smaller-scale version of Evergreen Walk? I also heard that there are plans to update and expand the town hall and the high school. Is any of this true??

Originally Posted by JayCT

The schools in Bolton are very good with reasonable class sizes (less than 20 students per class) and students scoring well above the state averages on the Connecituct Mastery and Connecticut Academic Performance tests. Be aware though that because the system is so small, some class offerings may be limited.

Thanks for the school links; I had looked them up already though, since the quality of the public school system is very important to us and our potential future kids . The test scores are impressive, certainly comparable to West Hartford's. We are a little concerned, however, about the relative lack of "diversity" in the schools (as in, pretty much everyone is Caucasian), which I guess one should expect in small-town schools. Any thoughts?

[JViello]

Originally Posted by MoHow

I heard that Bolton is bringing in sewer lines and that there are plans to renovate the old Cider Mill location... into a potentially smaller-scale version of Evergreen Walk? I also heard that there are plans to update and expand the town hall and the high school. Is any of this true??



Thanks for the school links; I had looked them up already though, since the quality of the public school system is very important to us and our potential future kids . The test scores are impressive, certainly comparable to West Hartford's. We are a little concerned, however, about the relative lack of "diversity" in the schools (as in, pretty much everyone is Caucasian), which I guess one should expect in small-town schools. Any thoughts?

Sounds to me like you wish to see Bolton changed into West Hartford.

If you are interestd in Bolton because it's Bolton...don't try and change it into something else. (BTW Bolton isn't what I would call "rural". More like a bedroom town...it's a 5 minute drive into DT Manchester and 15 minute drive into DT Hartord. Rural to me, is a place like Rumford, Maine.)

I HOPE the things you posted above are NOT true. The town does NOT need an "Evergreen Walk" less than 10 miles from the original. The town hall is fine for a city it's size. If they want to do something with all that "extra money" they can lower their tax mill and give the people a break. Taxes are already pretty high in Bolton relatively speaking.

I don't live in Bolton, but I can throw a rock from my yard and it will land in Bolton proper.

P.S. What's wrong with the high school reflecting the demographics of the town?

[MoHow]

Originally Posted by JViello

Sounds to me like you wish to see Bolton changed into West Hartford.

Not necessarily true... just curious .

Originally Posted by JViello

If you are interestd in Bolton because it's Bolton...don't try and change it into something else.

I don't expect I would be able to change it into something else, even if I tried... especially since I've also heard that most of Bolton's residents are very resistant to development and change.

Originally Posted by JViello

Bolton isn't what I would call "rural."

You're right. It's not as "rural" as some of the surrounding towns. After all, it does have its own schools!

Ha -- if you want a high tax mill rate, come to West Hartford where it's 38.6 (vs Bolton's 31) ! Bolton's mill rate is actually attractively *low* for us!

Originally Posted by JViello

P.S. What's wrong with the high school reflecting the demographics of the town?

There's nothing *wrong* per se or really unexpected about the public high school reflecting the demographics of the town. However, school and town demographics will be a major factor for us to take under consideration. I feel diversity is an asset to a town and a school. My potential kids and I would be a few of the token non-white people in town... which could be a good thing or a bad thing, I suppose.

Whereas I am relatively ambivalent about what happens with the town hall building, I would feel strongly about the development and improvement of the schools. I think I will always believe in putting that "extra money" (in your words) toward our children's education and future. In a growing town, a strong school system is going to be a major factor in attracting young couples/families (like us) to the town... which, depending on how you feel about town growth and diversification, could be a good thing or a bad thing again.

Thanks for all of your input so far!

[JayCT]

MoHow - I sent you a Direct Message. you can access it by clicking on the "Direct Message" line under your name in the upper right corner of this page.

As for Bolton taxes, I too find them to be reasonable. They are certainly lower than the taxes in Glastonbury. I just realized what the difference was. Anyway, can't comment on the development part either except to say that it is a decision that the town itself has to make. It would be nice if there was a few more amenities there but then again it could change the town's character if it was not done properly. Jay

[JViello]

In Bolton, at that mill rate a house with a market value of $275,000 has a yearly tax burden of $5967.50.

You both think that's "not bad"? $500.00 a month in property taxes on a house of that value is insane by my and national standards. More so when you factor in this doesn't include another roughly $1000.00 per year for two mid priced sedans.

No offense but if that is the case, I'm starting to understand why property tax reform in this state is next to stalled.

[kidyankee764]

A $6k tax bill on a home worth less than the average CT home is not reasonable by my standards either. Call me cheap...

[MoHow]

Well, it's all relative... If I've been living for years in a place with higher property taxes and then I move to a different place with lower taxes, of course it will seem "not so bad."

How I feel about paying property taxes also depends on what they are spent on. As I said before, I think education is a worthwhile investment. If we move to Bolton, I wouldn't complain about improving the town hall building either (I haven't been inside yet, but the exterior is kinda rundown and ramshackle looking... as is that of Bolton High School). I wouldn't complain too much about bringing in public sewers either, especially if I were to benefit from it (... though it doesn't appear public sewers will ever make it to the neighborhood where we're looking). Nobody likes paying taxes, but they are meant for the greater good and improvement of the community. We already spend enough money on ourselves; there's nothing wrong with being compelled to contribute some to the greater good of our town.

This is going off on a tangent. I would still love to hear/read any more opinions on living in Bolton.