[maestro]

OK, I know this is a very subjective question, and there are a lot of variables that go into it, but:

I am married, have a wife at home taking care of our newborn. I live in Ohio, but I am eyeing a move to Hartford in order to be closer to my family in New York. We really enjoy having her stay home with the baby, and would like to continue to do so. I don't make a ton of money, but we are getting by OK.

We live in a fun neighborhood just 2 miles from downtown -- it's not right downtown, but it's not a cookie-cutter house (ugh) or way out in the country (double ugh). Sort of like what the cool neighborhoods in Brooklyn are to NYC. We love the old-school feel, and we can walk to plenty of restaurants, bars and shops.

I realize that the housing costs are all different depending on the neighborhood, but do you think I could move to Hartford and still afford to have my wife stay at home? What would some neighborhoods that you would suggest?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

[debct]

You do not want to live in Hartford! High crime, shootings in the news all the time. The taxes are high, you car ins and home isnurance rates will be high. What is your price range? You could go onto realtor.com and do a search. West hartford has some nice areas, a lot to do and a nice kids mussem. Cromwell is nice, Plainville is a great town. right of of 84, good schools a lot of programs through the rec departmnet, a famli resource center that has program for newborn on up. greatschools.net is another good site.

[skytrekker]

You might try Manchester- which has many affordable areas, as does Vernon.
West Hartford is a wee on the pricey side.

Hartford's west end is considered safe- but is not so family oriented in the conventional sense. It is mostly intellectual single types, young singles, and is the 'gay ghetto' of Hartford.

[vvolin]

Just my two dimes on the gay ghetto. We lived for 5 years in Wilton Manors, the so-called gay ghetto of Fort Lauderdale (FL). We had a young child with us. We were never happier in our neighrhood as when we lived there. Gay families are often the kindiest you can find. If a family oriented neighborhood is for you what it is for us, that is, a place where people are happy to meet your kids on the street, where your neighbors will go our of their way to make your kids' Halloween memorable, where you know you can count on strong arms and great hearts when you need help and your husband is not home, then your gay neighborhood is the place for you.

[debct]

[quote=skytrekker;362275]You might try Manchester- which has many affordable areas, as does Vernon.
West Hartford is a wee on the pricey side.

Hartford's west end is considered safe- but is not so family oriented in the conventional sense. It is mostly intellectual single types, young singles, and is the 'gay ghetto' of Hartford.[/QUOTE

I have never heard the expresion"gay gehtto" for that part of hartford.

[maestro]

what type of salary would I need to afford houses in these areas?

[geos]

Stamford is the nearest town you could call affordable. I'm building a house in Norwalk a few miles up the road. SONO (South Norwalk) may have the "bohemian" atmosphere you're looking for. It's undergoing a revitalization with boutiques, restaurants and other attractions opening up on the waterfront. http://www.culinarymenus.com/historicsono.htm

[maestro]

Originally Posted by geos

Stamford is the nearest town you could call affordable. I'm building a house in Norwalk a few miles up the road. SONO (South Norwalk) may have the "bohemian" atmosphere you're looking for. It's undergoing a revitalization with boutiques, restaurants and other attractions opening up on the waterfront. http://www.culinarymenus.com/historicsono.htm

these cities don't seem to be in the Hartford area.

[kd83]

Originally Posted by maestro

these cities don't seem to be in the Hartford area.

That is the furthest you can get away from hartford in all of connecticut. We need some more information on your salary and whatnot. From what I have gathered on this forum, skytrekker is very helpful. I have not been here long but I hope I can be of some help as well. I live in enfield, connecticut and have lived in the hartford area all of my life. West Hartford, Bloomfield, Wethersfield, East Hartford are the 4 main border towns of Hartford. West Hartford and Bloomfield would be the most expensive. Bloomfield is typically thought of as more "ghetto" only b/c of their higher black population, however, many areas of Bloomfield are gorgeous with amazing houses. West Hartford is nice. Wethersfield is nice, slightly diverse, and has many stores and restaurants to offer. East Hartford is known for its hispanic community and is probably the least nice out of the 4. Each of these towns can be a $15-30 dollar cab ride to downtown hartford depending on where in the town you live.

[geos]

> these cities don't seem to be in the Hartford area.

They're not but it's an option you might want to consider instead of a dump like Hartford in the middle of nowhere, CT. Norwalk is 45-60 minutes from NYC while Hartford is 2.5 - 3 hours with the traffic on 95.