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Hello, wise city-data people! We are moving to the New Haven area in the next few months. We'll make a visit up there sometime in late April to check out some different towns and figure out where we want to live, but I want to narrow the search as much as I can, as we'll be toting two small kids with us!
Our criteria are as follows:
1. Good schools!
2. Relatively easy commute to Yale, ideally using public transportation but driving is fine too.
3. My fantasy scenario is a relaxed and walkable sort of a town, family-friendly, easy to meet people, safe and pretty. Yes, we want it all .
I'd love more info about a few places. Woodbridge is on our list, because of the schools and the proximity to Yale (seems like a lot of faculty live there). But... it doesn't really sound like my kind of place. My impression (not having been there yet!) is big houses on big lots but no real town center, which sounds a bit isolating to me. What do kids / grownups do around there? Is it a friendly place? Do you have to drive everywhere or is it walkable / bikable to get to a nice cafe or bookshop or restaurant?
I like the sound of Branford and Guilford a lot. They sound like pretty and easygoing towns. But how bad is the commute? I've heard driving can be a nightmare, but the train seems like it would be at least an hour, which would be hard on my husband. Also, schools? How do they measure up to Woodbridge schools?
The East Rock neighborhood, and Spring Glen in Hamden, have also been suggested to us. I know a little about the elementary schools, but nothing beyond that (ie. where do kids go to high school)?
East Rock is OK until high school, where there are some problems with drop outs and performance. It's a very nice neighborhood though and super walkable with lots of things to do nearby.
You didn't mention budget.
If you like a town center and things to do, I recommend Branford, Milford, and Wallingford. They are all pretty decent commutes to Yale, have walkable town centers, friendly population, good schools, things to do. Milford and Branford benefit from having the coastline and beaches. I'm not as familiar with the other towns, but I live in Milford and know for a fact there are some really nice houses within walking distance to downtown and its stores, bars, coffee shops, restaurants, etc. It's one of the better areas in town.
Orange has excellent schools and is near Milford's town center, so it's worth considering even though it doesn't have its own downtown. But you'd have to drive.
Guilford and Madison are gorgeous with excellent schools, but are a little sleepier and a bit more rural. They have town centers, but they're a little quieter. If you're OK with that, they are excellent places to live.
Please indicate a budget and whether you might like to buy or rent. If buying, are you looking of a house or condo ?
Woodbridge ,as you noted, is homes, for the most part, on large lots with no real town center. You'll drive everywhere and use adjacent towns for shopping.
Hamden's Spring Glen neighborhood and New Haven's East Rock area will give you exactly what you want, especially East Rock. However, East Rock can be pricey, Taxes are high and New Haven public high schools are problematic and have typical urban problems. For high school, you would likely send your children to private schools.
Spring Glen is Hamden has a very neighborhood feel and is close to everything. . But again, Hamden high school, while better than New Haven's is not especially high performing.
As noted, Milford is lovely choice. You might like Branford. If you like older homes on smaller lots , you could possibly live within a block to a few blocks of Branford town center, which is very walkable, although not terribly large.
Guilford and Madison have gorgeous town centers. However, you probably would find yourself living out side of town center, unless you could find an in-town antique colonial in which to live. For the most part, people live outside of town, drive into town and then walk around.
Your budget may be a deciding factor in where you look. With the exception of New Haven and possibly Hamden, local schools are good in all the other towns. Woodbridge is part of a regional school system, however.
Guilford and Madison have gorgeous town centers. However, you probably would find yourself living out side of town center, unless you could find an in-town antique colonial in which to live. For the most part, people live outside of town, drive into town and then walk around.
This is true to an extent, but there are indeed neighborhoods that are easily walkable to the town centers. Some of these, of course, are highly prized with price tags to match. However, there are a few that are still relatively affordable... especially in the current housing market.
I like the sound of Branford and Guilford a lot. They sound like pretty and easygoing towns. But how bad is the commute? I've heard driving can be a nightmare, but the train seems like it would be at least an hour, which would be hard on my husband. Also, schools? How do they measure up to Woodbridge schools?
The highway commute from Branford (and points east) to New Haven can be congested and trying. With high volume, it can be about 40 minutes minutes from Guilford, but the traffic usually doesn't start until Branford. Without traffic (i.e., outside of peak hours, usually) it's 15-20 minutes from Guilford to New Haven, depending on your opinion of speed limits.
The train ride from either town to New Haven is quick (~20 min) and painless. I used the train every day to commute to the medical school (which has its own shuttle from the train station), and I found myself wishing the ride was longer. It was a great experience with beautiful scenery and time I could use to do work or take a nap. I'm sure there is also a shuttle for the rest of the campus, and that is probably where the time would be added on that could make the commute longer than driving.
Schools in Guilford and Woodbridge are pretty similar -- excellent systems. Branford's are very good, with standardized test scores a little bit lower but I believe still above state averages.
The train from Guilford takes about 25 minutes. There are shuttle buses from the station to Yale so the overall trip would take about 40 minutes or so. Guilford and Branford are beautiful towns and definitely worth the commute IMHO. You would have to judge this for yourself though. You should note that if your husband is faculty, he will not necessarily have to commute during the busiest times so the commute could be shorter. He will need to check if parking is available though.
Woodbridge is a beautiful town with excellent schools. If you think it would be too quiet though, consider Orange which is a bit more developed and shares schools with Woodbridge and Bethany.
I agree that New Haven and Hamden schools do not perform as well as schools in Woodbridge, Orange, Branford and Guilford. You might also consider Madison which is just a bit further than Guilford but has excellent schools and is also a great town for families. It has a nice small downtown you are looking for with the wonderful R. J. Julia Bookstore that attracts people from all over the state.
For information on schools here in Connecticut, check the website below. For good schools, I look for those thatr perform at or above the state average on the Connecticut Mastery and Connecticut Academic Performance Tests. Also check that class sizes are not more than about 23 or so. Jay
Thanks for all the replies! We will be renting at first, and looking to buy in a few years. As far as budget goes, we could probably manage a house in Woodbridge but I feel like it's a lot to pay for someplace I'm not sure I'd *love* to live. But it does sound like the schools there are great. I think it might be a place we'd consider moving down the road, but not right away. The kids are little still, in fact my oldest will be starting pre-school this fall, and where we end up renting at first might depend on where we can get him into a nice little preschool!
I've applied to a couple of pre-schools in Branford. Does anybody know anything about the Pine Orchard Nursery School? We are also looking more closely at East Rock, which sounds nice, but I can't find a nursery school that isn't full day. If anybody has any nursery school info, that would be hugely helpful!
Madison sounds nice too, but Branford and Guilford are a little closer and my impression from reading other threads are that they are perhaps a bit more easygoing too. I'm not worried about a quiet town, I like small towns, I just don't want to live someplace where it's hard to make friends or where I feel isolated. We live in Princeton NJ right now and we are used to being able to step out the door and see all our neighbors, walk to coffee shops / library / cafes. It's a quiet, smallish town, but very family-oriented and sociable. I am pretty sad to leave, so maybe looking too hard to reproduce what we have here!! Living by the sea really appeals to me, since I grew up in Vancouver (in Canada).
It sounds like the commute for my husband won't be hard in any of those places, so we're now just looking for the place that will provide a happy environment for me and the kids, with good schools being especially important down the road.
Thanks for all the replies! We will be renting at first, and looking to buy in a few years. As far as budget goes, we could probably manage a house in Woodbridge but I feel like it's a lot to pay for someplace I'm not sure I'd *love* to live. But it does sound like the schools there are great. I think it might be a place we'd consider moving down the road, but not right away. The kids are little still, in fact my oldest will be starting pre-school this fall, and where we end up renting at first might depend on where we can get him into a nice little preschool!
I've applied to a couple of pre-schools in Branford. Does anybody know anything about the Pine Orchard Nursery School? We are also looking more closely at East Rock, which sounds nice, but I can't find a nursery school that isn't full day. If anybody has any nursery school info, that would be hugely helpful!
Madison sounds nice too, but Branford and Guilford are a little closer and my impression from reading other threads are that they are perhaps a bit more easygoing too. I'm not worried about a quiet town, I like small towns, I just don't want to live someplace where it's hard to make friends or where I feel isolated. We live in Princeton NJ right now and we are used to being able to step out the door and see all our neighbors, walk to coffee shops / library / cafes. It's a quiet, smallish town, but very family-oriented and sociable. I am pretty sad to leave, so maybe looking too hard to reproduce what we have here!! Living by the sea really appeals to me, since I grew up in Vancouver (in Canada).
It sounds like the commute for my husband won't be hard in any of those places, so we're now just looking for the place that will provide a happy environment for me and the kids, with good schools being especially important down the road.
I live in Pine Orchard, and we absolutely love it. It is our version of paradise. People are incredibly friendly, down to earth for an upscale area. It is pretty diverse for a small town (the people next door to us are Asian, across the street are African American and three houses down is an Indian family). We have made some amazing friends since moving here 3 or so years ago.
RE: Pine Orchard Nursery - it's a great place and you will be very happy with your decision to send your kids there - our neighbors send their children there and rave about it. If you have more questions on that, feel free to send me a DM and I'll get you info.
Branford is a fantastic town. It has everything from a few trailer parks to massive waterfront estates. There are a TON of condos, so you get a lot of seniors and young couples just starting out. Our downtown is beautiful; very quaint New England, with some good restaurants and shops. On the less scenic Route 1 is where you'll do your shopping (Kohls, Walmart, Big Y, etc). You don't really need to leave town to shop, but we often make the 15 minute drive to Milford and Orange for more variety. There is also a lot of shopping in North Haven.
Living around here is very relaxing. Branford, IMO, marks the end of the rat race extending northeast from the NYC area. You can actually see a marked difference in town - Short Beach area is more fast paced and Stony Creek is far more low key (which extends up the shore toward RI). We're right off a main road tucked in a side street - we're only a few hundred feet away from the water. My neighborhood has its own beach and mooring; not like West Coast or Florida beaches. Much more rocky and quaint - but that's Connecticut for you.
Honestly, with kids, I'd stay away from anywhere in New Haven. The city just does not have what I consider a family friendly vibe. East Rock and Westville are nice, as is Spring Glen in Hamden, but there are a lot of professors/doctors/lawyers without kids who live there. New Haven's public schools are rough, and Hamden's aren't what I would call "great". We live 10 minutes from New Haven and very often take advantage of what it has to offer. Amazing restaurants for such a small city.
IMO you're focusing on the right areas. Woodbridge, Orange, Branford, Milford, Guilford, Madison. The commute into New Haven from here isn't horrific. It might take an extra 10 minutes with traffic approaching the bridge. It's west of New Haven that you have to worry about (coming in and going out). I drive through New Haven everyday and don't encounter too much traffic heading toward 91 N. Leaving New Haven in the afternoon, the 34 connector heading toward 95/91 gets very backed up, but once you're on the highway going over the bridge, it isn't too bad. They are fixing this massive interchange, which should be finished in a few years (3 or 4?).
If you have any questions, feel free to ask. IMO, life in Branford, Guilford and Madison and eastward is unmatched.
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