[Erika0612]

My husband is being transferred to Stamford for a job. We are not from the area and would welcome any guidance or suggestions regarding best places to live. We do not have children yet, but are looking for a community that would be suitable for children in the future. We would appreciate ANY advice on the surrounding towns, upsides and downsides. We are an active couple who loves great food, community involvement and boutique shopping (well, maybe just me). Information about commutes and travel time from town to town would be really helpful as well (Google only says so much).

Any information you could share with us would be greatly appreciated as this Midwestern couple begins the transition to CT. Thank you in advance!

[kidyankee764]

Well, first, what can you afford? The Stamford metro area is the wealthiest metro in the country and therefore, it's very expensive.

[Appias]

If you can afford it, I'd recommend renting in Stamford for a while. It's not the most exciting city, but it is a short hop down to NYC or over to New Haven. There are some decent restaurants in the area and you won't find a ton of chains. I like ctbites.com for local foodie news. Also yelp can be really helpful for newbies.

If and when you look towards the suburbs there are a lot of variables. Drive or train? Beach or lakes? Rural or suburban? How important is a walkable downtown? Schools: are good schools enough or do they need to be the top? Maximum commute time? And of course the biggest question of all: budget?

[Stylo]

It's all about budget in that area. What can you afford?

[JayCT]

First you need to realize that you are moving to one of the most expensive parts of the country. Stamford itself is a small city and the towns surrounding it are very pricey, very upscale suburbs where you do not get much for your money. $1 million in say Greenwich will buy you not much more than a modest home. That said we would need to know your budget and what you like in a community (urban, suburban, rural, middle-class, affluent, etc.). I would suggest that you first consider renting to get to know the area and then buy a home where you like and can afford. Jay

[Stylo]

On top of budget, a very important consideration is train access. Train access at your job allows you to live further east or north, saving tons of money on a home, without having to deal with what is some of the worst traffic in the nation (the stretch including Norwalk and Stamford is horrible).

[anon860]

I like JayCT's idea. Prices tend to fall as you head eastward so keep that in mind; if you think you might transfer to a job in NYC at some point in the future that would be a consideration too. Many folks live in NYC and do the reverse commute to Stamford.