[Comp625]

If your daughter enjoys running, I would also suggest the "Black Rock" area of Bridgeport. It sits along the water and MANY young professionals live there. I also know quite a few Fairfield University and Sacred Heart University faculity/staff who own in Black Rock.

Rent is affordable (probably the most affordable as compared to Stratford, Shelton, and Milford) and the area is very safe, as long as she is in the west part of Black Rock Turnpike adjacent to the Town of Fairfield.

• She will absolutely enjoy running along "Saint Mary's by the Sea" - a recreational boardwalk that many locals will go to just to run themselves or enjoy the sunset.
• Commute to Sikorsky will be minimal - according to Google Maps, commute will take around 15-20 minutes with traffic.
• Nearby Fairfield Avenue has plenty a wide variety of bars and restaurants to choose from. There are many selections for all types of moods - those who want a quiet drink and a good meal, as well as those who look to party.
• Neighborhood in Black Rock is quite dense with lots of sidewalks -- great for runners, IMO.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by Comp625

Rent is affordable (probably the most affordable as compared to Stratford, Shelton, and Milford) and the area is very safe, as long as she is in the west part of Black Rock Turnpike adjacent to the Town of Fairfield.

Actually it's not as affordable as it once was, especially more towards Fairfield where you want to be for safety/crime purposes. I have some friends that were looking there and for what you get, it wasn't much different from Milford and actually a little more expensive than Stratford.

[rothbear]

This is all great info! Keep it coming! She appreciates it. She is really excited to be starting the new job and Sikorsky seems very happy to have her.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by Comp625

For what it's worth, the only caution is that Stratford neighborhoods adjacent to Route 1 (especially closer toward Bridgeport) tend to not be as nice. Some even say that it makes them feel a bit unsafe.
Mind you, I have friends that have lived along neighborhoods adjacent to Route 1 for years in Stratford and they think it is fine.

The portion of Rt.1(Boston Ave.) where the "undesirable" streets are is extremely small. About 4 streets total. There aren't any "undesirable" streets on the Barnum Avenue portion of Rt.1. However, the portion of Barnum Avenue that is not Rt.1 is considered to be "undesirable". And we also have to remember that undesirable means different things to different people. When i say it's undesirable, i mean that it looks dumpy/gritty/East Bridgeport like. Is it violent/"unsafe"? Not quite. But i still wouldn't want to live there.

Moot point for the OP's daughter anyway. Sikorsky pays their engineers well enough that she won't have to look in that neighborhood. LOL.

[Comp625]

Originally Posted by Stratford, Ct. Resident

The portion of Rt.1(Boston Ave.) where the "undesirable" streets are is extremely small. About 4 streets total. There aren't any "undesirable" streets on the Barnum Avenue portion of Rt.1. However, the portion of Barnum Avenue that is not Rt.1 is considered to be "undesirable". And we also have to remember that undesirable means different things to different people. When i say it's undesirable, i mean that it looks dumpy/gritty/East Bridgeport like. Is it violent/"unsafe"? Not quite. But i still wouldn't want to live there.

Moot point for the OP's daughter anyway. Sikorsky pays their engineers well enough that she won't have to look in that neighborhood. LOL.

Agreed.

For young professionals, I'd still rank all of the aforementioned towns as follows:

1. Milford (proximity to New Haven is key here)
2. Shelton
3. Black Rock
4. Stratford

[NewJeffCT]

Originally Posted by rothbear

My daughter has accepted a job offer with Sikorsky and will be starting probably March 1st or so. She is an engineer, so has more money for rent, although she would probably be buying within a year.

Any help for the area? Anyone work there? I would think she would like to be less than 1/2 hour commute time from the job. I have been reading various threads on different areas, but some of the cities/towns I'm not familiar with, so not sure about the commute time. So I'm wondering specifically about that area.

She is 30, likes to hike and do some camping, likes to visit wineries and breweries and also makes her own wine and beer. She also wants to get involved in volunteer work and currently works with Rotary.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

First off, congratulations on your daughter getting the job and welcome to Connecticut.

In addition to the 3 towns that have been mentioned, you can also try Trumbull and Fairfield since you said she'll have money for rent. Probably more expensive than Milford, Stratford & Shelton, but Fairfield has a nice downtown with shopping and restaurants. Trumbull gives you easier access to some nice hiking & nature in NW CT, too.

Getting west of Bridgeport would also be a shorter commute for her to see her boyfriend in NJ.

[Stylo]

Originally Posted by NewJeffCT

Trumbull gives you easier access to some nice hiking & nature in NW CT, too.

There is great hiking and nature all over. West Rock and Sleeping Giant are fantastic and a short drive from the Stratford/Milford area. Milford and Shelton both have nice hiking, Orange too. I'm not sure about Stratford.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

Originally Posted by Stylo

There is great hiking and nature all over. West Rock and Sleeping Giant are fantastic and a short drive from the Stratford/Milford area. Milford and Shelton both have nice hiking, Orange too. I'm not sure about Stratford.

www.rooseveltforest.info

[Stylo]

There ya go. Point is, while NW CT hiking is great, this area has more than enough to keep anyone amused - and the 5 minutes you save by living in Trumbull to shoot up there isn't really worth it. In fact, I'd argue Shelton has better access as it's closer to Route 8.

[rothbear]

Again, thank to everyone. Although travel distance to BF in NJ will matter for a short while, he is in the process of trying to get transferred with his company.

The info about hiking, etc. will be very helpful. She loves to explore new areas. She lives about an hour from the Adirondacks in NY and goes up there all the time to hike and camp. She even volunteers on the historic train that travels from Utica to Lake Placid. I'm sure she will even be exploring the surrounding states as well. Back in the 90's I traveled on business a lot and spent some time up in Stamford and Hartford. I had some time so did some exploring as well. Already told her she needs to visit Mystic Seaport. We're looking forward to visiting her and doing some exploring ourselves.