[vioclist]

Looking for all inclusive apartment community (2 bedroom/loft)...centering in-between Fairfield & Westbrook (employer/working in both locations) Prefer vibrant urban area with close-by eateries & shopping, but concerned about safety. Have been browsing listings in New Haven, Hamden, Milford, Shelton etc... any suggestions?

[PhxSuns333]

Milford sounds like what you are looking for. There are tons of restaurants and shopping (especially along Route 1, with Milford having the Westfield Connecticut Post Mall). Milford has a nice downtown area (that's kind of small, but has some good nightlife). The nice thing about Milford is you are a short drive from New Haven for more culture/nightlife. I would recommend living in downtown Milford. Also there are tons of events (especially in the summer on the green). Milford is very safe, so that's not an issue.

Shelton could work, as it is affordable. However for nightlife, Shelton is kind of boring. It's downtown isn't really that great either, IMO. Milford has a vibrant urban downtow (even though its small), and nearby New Haven also has a vibrant downtown.

[Comp625]

Originally Posted by vioclist

Looking for all inclusive apartment community (2 bedroom/loft)...centering in-between Fairfield & Westbrook (employer/working in both locations) Prefer vibrant urban area with close-by eateries & shopping, but concerned about safety. Have been browsing listings in New Haven, Hamden, Milford, Shelton etc... any suggestions?

I wouldn't rule out Orange either for rentals - it is an adjacent town that lays east of Milford, and is also quaint in itself. It certainly doesn't have the same charming downtown area, but you are literally a few minutes away from all of Milford's amenities. As a local, I often "blend" Orange and Milford as one-in-the-same.

Regardless of where you choose, I would certainly stick with choosing a town west of New Haven. Why? Let's assume you use I-95:

During a morning commute:
- Going south towards Fairfield is a huge pain. Traffic clogs up the Pearl Harbor Memorial Bridge in New Haven, and traffic clogs up again around Bridgeport. It is best to avoid at least that New Haven traffic and only sit through the shortened volume.
- Going north towards Westbrook is a breeze. Granted, it's about a 40 minute ride from the Milford-area, but it should be smooth most mornings.

During an afternoon commute:
- You will encounter traffic coming home from Fairfield, but the volume will vary by time/day. Good news is that traffic starts to lighten up drastically after Fairfield (just after Bridgeport's Route 8/Route 25 highway connector). Now, if you had to now go through New Haven, traffic typically starts around West Haven and lasts until the I-91 connector in New Haven. It doesn't sound like much, but that can be a very slow ride.
- You will also encounter traffic coming home from home from Westbrook. Traffic does clog up around the I-91 connector in New Haven but starts to lighten up quickly.

One other point that I'd like to suggest. I'm not sure if your Fairfield workplace is located closer to I-95 or the Merritt Parkway. In either scenario, the Merritt doesn't run through Westbrook. Wherever you choose, it is best to stay near I-95 for convenience to both locations.

[kidyankee764]

Between Fairfield and Westbrook is the city of New Haven. Milford, Shelton and Orange are far from "urban".

I'd suggest the OP look into downtown New Haven.

[Stylo]

East Rock New Haven might be your best bet. It's semi-urban, but relatively safe. Lots of great food/bars/coffee shops on upper state street and lower Whitney. Not far from downtown. Wooster Square is also very nice. You could also live downtown, if so - I'd recommend either 9th square or pretty much any area that abuts Yale's campus. 9th square is nice because it's got a good vibe (a little arty, hipster-ish - but with great restaurants), but super quick access to 95. The only problem with living in downtown is it can be tough to arrange parking.

Westville in New Haven is nice too, although a bit off the beaten path for 95 access. It's kind of its own village in a way, as some not-great neighborhoods separate it from the rest of downtown.

Downtown Milford is not urban, but it would be my next suggestion as it is walkable, has some good restaurants/bars/coffee shops, train access, super safe, etc.

[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by Stylo

East Rock New Haven might be your best bet. It's semi-urban, but relatively safe. Lots of great food/bars/coffee shops on upper state street and lower Whitney. Not far from downtown. Wooster Square is also very nice. You could also live downtown, if so - I'd recommend either 9th square or pretty much any area that abuts Yale's campus.

Westville in New Haven is nice too, although a bit off the beaten path for 95 access. It's kind of its own village in a way, as some not-great neighborhoods separate it from the rest of downtown.

Downtown Milford is not urban, but it would be my next suggestion as it is walkable, has some good restaurants/bars/coffee shops, train access, super safe, etc.

I'll second this opinion.

[PhxSuns333]

Originally Posted by kidyankee764

Between Fairfield and Westbrook is the city of New Haven. Milford, Shelton and Orange are far from "urban".

I'd suggest the OP look into downtown New Haven.

They're more suburban, with walkable downtowns (except Orange). New Haven would be great for the OP.

[Comp625]

Ah, I missed the OP's requirement for an "urban" environment. My bad! I would also suggest the "East Rock" neighborhood of New Haven. My only caution is that it's not conveniently walkable to New Haven's downtown area, per se. It's do-able, but according to Google Maps, it's about a 30 minute walk, give or take.

http://goo.gl/maps/smzvD

Also, although East Rock is "vibrant," it is probably one of the quieter parts of urban New Haven. Very quaint. A lot of the vibrancy comes from visitors looking to drive/hike/visit East Rock Park. Heck, the notion of "vibrancy" is subjective in itself; I'd be willing to say that Downtown Milford is as vibrant as the East Rock area (if not more), but the former isn't as urban if that makes any sense.

[Stylo]

Southern parts of East Rock are a quick walk to downtown. It's also very close to State Street, which is pretty active.

[mallthus]

I would avoid Hamden though. Although it has its charms, I don't believe there are any parts of Hamden that truly meet your stated goals.

So, on that note, another vote for Milford.

Oh, and don't forget that Milford has MetroNorth service.