[mohshaker]

Hi,
i am expecting a job offer soon and i will be moving from Katy, TX.
my job will be at Windsor locks CT, i am looking for reasonable nice area to live with family of 2 kids. both under 6 years old.
i have been seeing some posts about some nice towns , however my main concern is always schools. Katy TX school district has the highest ranking all across the nation. where is the best schools.
My wife will graduate as medical assistant in May, so we are looking for a place with focus and opportunities in medical field at the same time. i can commute to Windsor locks my job does not determine where i live , my priority is for my kids best schools and my wife as she needs to be close to medical jobs and opportunities.
Any idea where would be best locations to live within 40 miles of Windsor locks.

[Rich Cabeza]

I worked at the high school a few years back in the 90s. The town did have the lowest taxes in the state it may still be that way. Suffield to the north is much better in regards to schools. GL.

[JayCT]

You should know that Connecticut's public schools are considered to be among the best in the country. The state is divided up into 169 independent towns and there are no county levels of government (just the towns and state). Our school districts are generally small and usually cover one individual town, though there are several regional school districts that serve a couple of small towns around the state.

That said there are many towns that fit your requirements. Windsor Locks is located several miles north of Hartford. The first town to come to mind is West Hartford. It is a diverse mature semi-urban/suburban town just west of Hartford. The schools are excellent, it is a great place to raise a family and it has a wonderful downtown area with great shops and restaurants.

Another area to consider would be the Farmington River Valley towns of Simsbury and Granby. Simsbury is an upscale semi-rural suburban town with excellent schools. The area is really beautiful. Most shopping and entertainments needs are nearby but major shopping (a large shopping mall) and employment centers require traveling over a small mountain that separates the Valley from the rest of the metropolitan Hartford area. Granby is just north of Simsbury and is a bit more rural in character and bit further from major shopping and entertainment options.

I should add that you do not give a price range or what you expect to get for that money. You should know that Connecticut is generalaly more expensive than Texas and that homes here tend to be older and more traditional in style. Good luck, Jay

[DawnMTL]

Excellent schools?
Well within 40 miles?

West Hartford.

[JayCT]

I should add that most medical jobs are in the greater Hartford area. Hartford has three major hospitals. There are also hospitals in New Britain, Farmington (UConn Medical Center), Manchester and Bristol. Your wife should not have too much trouble finding a job.

West Hartford is about 15 miles from Windsor Locks. Simsbury is about 12 miles and Granby about 10 miles. Suffield is even closer. Jay

[KH02]

Suffield, Granby, West Hartford, Farmington, Avon, Simsbury.
All those have excellent public schools for kids and are good commuting distance to Windsor Locks.
However, Keep in mind that great public schools come at a HIGH price tag. How much money are you looking to spend, that can help steer which towns that have good school would work best for you.

I agree that the Hartford area has plenty of hospitals to look into to find a job as a medical assistant.

[mohshaker]

Well, in Katy TX i am renting 3 Bdr apartment with attached garage almost 1300 SQFT for 1550 a month... and i don’t mind paying up to 1850 for same space but i am looking for excellent schools, that would be my budget i guess.

[KH02]

Finding a rental in those areas mentioned just as an fyi most likely wont be apartment buildings they will be multi family houses or condos for rent, which you could find through Craigslist or realtor.com.
You may be able to find a 3 bedroom with 1300 sq feet or less for around your budget of 1850 but that may or may not include a garage
Rentals in those areas are limited as they are mostly suburban areas. Your best bet would be West Hartford out of all the towns mentions as there are many rentals in that town....more so then any of the others mentioned.

[JViello]

You're going to have to rent in the "well to do" suburbs for the top schools, and let me tell you, it's not cheap. At all. $1850 won't get you much in Glastonbury, Simsbury, Avon, West Hartford etc. Nothing like you have in TX that's for sure.

You can get that apartment in Manchester, no problem but you won't get the public schools you want. Have you considered private? What you'll save in housing cost will almost make up the difference.

Most of the rentals I have seen that are decent in said towns are $2-2.4K per month...and I'm actively looking as we plan on putting our house on the market this Spring and need a place interim. I can't rent my same 3/2/1 home in said towns for less than $1800-1900 a month.

There is class warfare going on in CT and it's a war of money, not race. Towns like Simsbury put up financial barriers that assure a "lower class" will not be able to get "in". Doesn't matter your skin color, just what your education and/or financial status allows you to afford. It's a really interesting passive agressive way we deal with urban problems all the while preaching tollerance and "diversity"...so long as it's not their back yard. I'd love to see the reaction to half these towns in regard to forced integration of the schools. I'd bet you'd see a lot of "conservative" converts real quick. lol

Having said all that check out South Windsor too. Easy commute to both Hartford and W Locks, good schools and fair priced homes for the area.

[nep321]

Windsor Locks is probably the most affordable town in the Hartford metro area that has low crime rates. IMO it's not a beautiful town, but it's fair and square. It's an airport town, so you might hear air traffic often.