[Marie73]

I recently moved to CT from Buffalo, NY with my boyfriend, and he is working in Groton, CT. We didn't really know the state that much before we came and had a tough time deciding where to move. We checked out Mystic area, Groton, New London, and Hartford. We ended up in Hartford seeking that big city, urban feel; instead we ended up with a ghost town and a long commute for my boyfriend.

We are both in our early 20's (no kids, only a dog) and are searching for that perfect little community to start off. We are probably going to move closer to Groton & we are looking to rent, for now, anyway.

**Ideally we would like a safe, walkable town with a nice culture, plenty of jobs, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, book stores, shopping, festivals, events, sites, museums, theaters and pet-friendly. We would like a young community so we can meet some new friends. Oh, and something on the cheaper side since I am still unemployed and we would like to save. Does this place even exist? I realize I may be shooting too high.

We were thinking Mystic, Factory Square Apartments, but we get the feeling Mystic may be a bit too busy in the summer and far too dead for the rest of the year. We haven't heard anything good about New London or Norwich. Everywhere else seems too expensive or too empty.

Can anyone give us advice or tips as to what town we should look at?

Thanks a Lot!
Marie

[nico7]

Hi Marie,

It sounds like you guys would have hit your original target if you had moved to New Haven. There is so much going on in New Haven, and the place is packed with young people. The safety of the city varies by neighborhood, but it's pretty safe in the downtown district around Yale -- as well as in several of the adjoining areas.

There are a few towns that will offer good rental options while fitting most of your needs, and Branford is one you might consider. It will still be a long commute for your boyfriend but it is the safest and nicest of the few towns I can think of that fit your description. Others to look at would be Middletown, Clinton, and maybe the towns around the casinos (Ledyard?).

Essex and Chester are nice towns to live in with some very good dining and entertainment, but there are not very many jobs in the lower CT River valley, not to mention a small selection of rental options. If Essex or Chester would work for you, you'd find yourself with a nice quality of life.

I'd be happy to answer any specific questions. Do you know what line of work you'd be looking into for employment? That could help narrow things down.

Nico

[Snowman27]

Hi Marie, I totally understand what you're saying. You just dont have that cozy good feeling where you are.

Well, I'll suggest West Norwalk but not sure how far that is from your jobs. West Norwalk is a nice quiet place to live which is family orientated and plenty of woods for your dog to love and keep occupied with.

If you're looking for more spunk then Milford may be your place. I got tenants there, they love it. You can find some spots in Milford which is perfect for couples. You'll love it! Then you have the strip of stores off Exit 39 I-95, perfect for shopping. Milford is also still so affordable.

best of luck and welcome to CT!

[heather121]

Originally Posted by CTHere

Well, I'll suggest West Norwalk but not sure how far that is from your jobs. West Norwalk is a nice quiet place to live which is family orientated and plenty of woods for your dog to love and keep occupied with.

If you're looking for more spunk then Milford may be your place. I got tenants there, they love it. You can find some spots in Milford which is perfect for couples. You'll love it! Then you have the strip of stores off Exit 39 I-95, perfect for shopping. Milford is also still so affordable.

Milford & West Norwalk are even further from Groton than Hartford is.

Unfortunately I don't have any great suggestions...I grew up in Niantic/East Lyme (15-20min west of Groton), which is a small community w/ a lot of walkable areas, Niantic has a cute Main Street but there isn't much to do in the winter, and there aren't many rentals. And there is definitely no night life.

Essex & Chester are cute towns, though, you should add them to your list of places to check out.

[JayCT]

Unfortunately, eastern Connecticut is a pretty rural area and you will not find a lot of lively places like you describe. One suggestion would be Colchester. It is half way between Groton and Hartford and has a nice small village center. There are some nice restaurants and shops there and you may ike its charm. Again though, it is pretty quiet. Another might be Middletown but it too is pretty far and somewhat quiet.

I would also just suggest that you do move to Mystic. It is charming and has things to do because it is a tourist destination. I think you could deal with the summer traffic situation for the few months it goes on, but then when it quiets down it is very nice.

Some of the other suggestions like Milford and Norwalk are pretty far from Groton. I do not think the responders realized your Bf was going to remiain woring there. Good luck, Jay

[rs1]

Originally Posted by Marie73

**Ideally we would like a safe, walkable town with a nice culture, plenty of jobs, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, book stores, shopping, festivals, events, sites, museums, theaters and pet-friendly. We would like a young community so we can meet some new friends. Oh, and something on the cheaper side since I am still unemployed and we would like to save. Does this place even exist? I realize I may be shooting too high.

the only place in CT that matches that description is new haven. you're looking at a ~50 mile commute to groton, rough, but not undoable (and shorter than the commute from hartford). i would strongly recommend that you visit new haven because it might be exactly what you're looking for. anything closer to groton will leave you wanting, i think.

thinking outside the box a little (and at the risk of angering people here on the CT board!) another possibility might be to look east to providence, rhode island. providence is roughly the same distance from groton as hartford. i don't know it too well personally, but have heard it's a good, lively place for young professionals and should offer all the amenities you're seeking.

but again, i would encourage you to check out new haven, i think you'll really like it. good luck!

[HelloSam]

I went to Connecticut College in New London (some years ago), and from what I understand, New London's really come a long way. Spend some time downtown and by the beaches, you might be pleasantly surprised. Bangkok City....amazing Thai food...mmmmm...where was I? Oh yes, then you'd be within easy commuting distance, and also have access to Old Saybrook, Madison, and New Haven for weekend jaunts.

I am also a huge fan of Stonington Borough. HUGE. It might be too low key for you, though.

I've known some folks in their 20s (when I was in my 20s) to live in Westerly, RI, right over the CT border.

[Silli]

New Haven is definitely your best option. Your boyfriend could take Shoreline East from there to New London if he could get to his Groton job from there via shuttle. I also think you should check out Providence as well, for that big city feel.
It's not exactly big city, but the Niantic section of East Lyme is a cute little summer town with a main street movie theater, bookstore, restaurant, etc., and housing is reasonable for full-year residents.
Good luck!

[Marie73]

Thanks so much everyone.. ill def check them em all out!