[Stylo]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

I like Milford to shop, but I would personally not live there. It's too crowded and the zoning is lacking - there are also too many out of towners that flood Milford on a daily basis so it doesn't have that small town feel. It's just not as family-oriented as I would like (I know you'll disagree, Stylo). I guess I'm partial to small towns.

Until you live here it's hard to understand. I can totally understand your vantage point, especially coming here to shop on Route 1. Live in a quiet neighborhood near the coast and I bet you'd have a completely different outlook.

Originally Posted by andthentherewere3

Yes, I know families that have moved out of Milford to neighboring Orange etc. for the same reason. But if someone is not looking for the highest rated school system and is more interested in amenities etc., there is nothing wrong with Milford.

The schools are still well above average for the state for the most part, so I wouldn't have any hesitation. That, and I think the economic diversity is a good thing for a kid to grow up around. I went to a racially homogenous, predominately upper middle class high school and I would not want that experience for my kids.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by Stylo

The schools are still well above average for the state for the most part, so I wouldn't have any hesitation.

Milford schools are average, or perhaps slightly above average compared to other districts in this state.

And, just in the interests of full and honest disclosure, my town is regarded as average or slightly below average.

[Comp625]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

Milford schools are average, or perhaps slightly above average compared to other districts in this state.

And, just in the interests of full and honest disclosure, my town is regarded as average or slightly below average.

For those whose money is not an issue, there are plenty of Private Schools in the area. At the High School level, for example, there is Lauralton Hall and nearby Sacred Heart Academy for the girls. For the boys, there is Notre Dame High with nearby Fairfield Prep.

There is also the debate about why you're paying tax money towards a school system that you aren't using, but that's another story for another day.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

I guess that you also stopped reading the other forums on here.

LOL - for the most part, I have.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

Milford schools are average, or perhaps slightly above average compared to other districts in this state.

And, just in the interests of full and honest disclosure, my town is regarded as average or slightly below average.

Above average SAT scores, graduation rate, rate going to college, etc. It's not to the level of Fairfield, Trumbull or Orange, but it's above average for the state with a decent margin.

And, I hate to refer to CAPT scores as they're mostly useless, but they're in line now too:

Milford High School CAPT Scores Improve - Milford, CT Patch

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Until you live here it's hard to understand. I can totally understand your vantage point, especially coming here to shop on Route 1. Live in a quiet neighborhood near the coast and I bet you'd have a completely different outlook.

I know Milford well, Stylo. I know lots of people who live there, we looked at a few homes there. With two public high schools, a population of over 51,000, and lots of apartments/hotels, it does not have a small town feel. It serves as the "go to" area for people from Beacon Falls and Monroe to Guilford and North Branford. This makes the town have a very transient feel, and one that I, personally, do not find to be quaint enough for my liking (actually even Branford is a little too large for my liking!). Again, it's a great, well, rounded small city but simply not for me.

You can't really use the "if you don't live here, you don't know much" line, because I probably know Milford better than I know my own town. Further, you can't really counter my opinion.

Originally Posted by Stylo

The schools are still well above average for the state for the most part, so I wouldn't have any hesitation.

Milford's schools are similar to schools in my own town. They are pretty average, maybe a little better, for the state IMO. This is not Madison or Amity we're talking about here. I'm not knocking them because they're still solid and I wouldn't hesitate to send my kids there.

[Stylo]

Depends on how you define "small town". For many people most of our neighborhoods, the green/downtown and most of the coastline have a quaint feel. I came from an extremely small town in northern FFC with a population under 20k. That was too, erm, "quaint". I actually found it charmless and dead. To me, on most days, the Branford and Milford downtowns feel awfully similar. It's not until you get to the denser parts of Devon, or certain stretches of Route 1 where Milford loses that charm. And as a resident, I almost never experience traffic here. My AM and PM commutes are met with maybe 3-4 cars at each stoplight, and that's my drive from the Gulf Beach area up to the Merritt or 95. Route 1 in Westport is busy ALL the time except after 8PM and is by far the most consistently slow part of my commute. The in-town traffic outside of the mall area is almost nonexistent 99% of the time, as long as there are no traffic incidents or big events going on.

Living somewhere does make a difference, and I'm aware you're familiar with the town. Opinions are just that.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stylo

Depends on how you define "small town". For many people most of our neighborhoods, the green/downtown and most of the coastline have a quaint feel. I came from an extremely small town in northern FFC with a population under 20k. That was too, erm, quaint and kind of felt dead. To me, on most days, the Branford and Milford downtowns feel awfully similar. It's not until you get to the denser parts of Devon, or certain stretches of Route 1 where Milford loses that charm.

Living somewhere does make a difference, and I'm aware you're familiar with the town. Opinions are just that.

I get what you mean when you say that different parts/neighborhoods are quaint in their own way. But when I live in a town, I don't want people to say "I live in Southport", or "I live in Woodmont", or "I live in Huntington". I'd rather live in a town where the entire town is on the same page. Right now I live in the Pine Orchard section, but there are not activities limited to PO residents and everyone still says Branford. It's is the type of town where, during their festival, you know pretty much everyone there. We don't have to worry about people from North and East Haven crowding it (it's not widely advertised outside of town). To the contrary, for the Milford Oyster festival, most people are actually from out of town. Milford, in a way, prides itself on being the focal point of the area. That's great, but not for me.

Anyway, I prefer a town with not much more than 18,000. If it were up to me, we would be living in Madison. But it's not up to me.

[Stylo]

The Oyster Festival is the one anomaly and yes, most locals avoid it now that it's gotten so big. But as another example none of us put much stock into how the Bridgewater Fair defined that area when it was held once a year and started to become kind of a mess. The rest of the dozens of green events and other events (Walnut Beach Sandcastle Competition, Woodmont Day, Farmer's Markets, Crafts Shows, Art Events, Lobster Bake, Tree Lighting, Lamplight Stroll, etc. etc.) are low key, primarily locals and a manageable size.

Honestly, there are more than enough quaint neighborhoods. Bayview, Morningside, Gulf Street, South of the Green, Duck Ponds, most of North Milford, Trumbull Beach, Laurel Beach, Rivercliff, Woodmont.

Now, if we're comparing to Madison, Old Saybrook, Essex, etc - that's my favorite part of the state aesthetically and it has a very different feel from anything else.

[Lincolnian]

Milford is perfectly fine. The schools are solid and any child wishing to apply themselves will have plenty of opportunities to make their mark. The OP is interested in the Woodmont area and you will not find that beautiful beach looking out your window in Orange or Woodbridge.

Yes, doctors, lawyers, college professors, business owners, factory workers, and others that work in the many retailers on Rt 1 and at the Post Mall live there as well and their children seem to get along well even in Milford's average or slightly above average schools.