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My son will be starting a job in Essex, CT. We live in southern PA and are not sure where to start searching for an apartment. He wants to keep his commute to 30 minutes. Any suggestions for where to look for an apartment that is reasonably priced for a 22 year old, just starting out on his own?
It kind of depends on the type of area the son wants to live in. Does he prefer somewhere that has activities and other young people or would he prefer a quieter, beachy area near the shore?
Generally I agree with Middletown. There are a lot of apartments there and its downtown has a lot for younger people. Wesleyan University is located in Middletown so there are a number of college students there. It has a number of nice restaurants and bars and has one of the best independent bookstores in the northeast.
I would suggest that he look for an apartment south of downtown to avoid having to travel through the traffic signals on Route 9 in downtown during his commute. At times, particularly over the summer, those signals will cause long backups in traffic. I would not recommend he live in the city's Westfield section which is further from Essex and would require traveling through those signals every day. I would also suggest that he look for an apartment south of Route 66. North of it is the North End which is known to have more problems than other parts of the city. Please note that this area is not unsafe at all, it is just that the likelihood of petty crime there is a bit more than other parts of town.
However, if your son would like to live in a quieter, more beachy area near the shore, he might want to consider Old Saybrook. It is a really cute beach town with a lot of stores, restaurants and things to do. The only thing is that Old Saybrook has a LOT of summer homes so the population swells greatly during the summer months. Some people are turned off by that. Some like it. I hope this helps. Jay
welcome to Connecticut to your son. I agree with Middletown, or right next door in Cromwell since many Middletown rentals are right on the border of Cromwell.
Other than that, there might be rentals on the shoreline like East Lyme/Niantic or Waterford. But, being closer to the beach, might be a bit pricier than what you can get in Middletown.
Yeah, I agree shoreline towns are another option if he can find something affordable. East Lyme, Old Saybrook, Clinton, Westbrook all do the job. It is just an older crowd generally, so if he's looking for more people his age, nightlife, etc. Middletown would be a better option.
Between the shoreline and Middletown is more rural with less rentals. But still possible if he doesn't mind that environment.
welcome to Connecticut to your son. I agree with Middletown, or right next door in Cromwell since many Middletown rentals are right on the border of Cromwell.
Other than that, there might be rentals on the shoreline like East Lyme/Niantic or Waterford. But, being closer to the beach, might be a bit pricier than what you can get in Middletown.
Cromwell is further north though so he'd have to deal with the traffic delays
It is over 30 miles from New Haven to Essex. That could be as long as 45 minutes to an hour commute. While not horrible, it is not something I would recommend to anyone. Jay
It is over 30 miles from New Haven to Essex. That could be as long as 45 minutes to an hour commute. While not horrible, it is not something I would recommend to anyone. Jay
Agree. Only if the OP's son REALLY wants to live in a vibrant city with things to do, it might be worth the commute for him. Keeping in mind living in the desirable parts of New Haven will be a bit more expensive than Middletown.
It is over 30 miles from New Haven to Essex. That could be as long as 45 minutes to an hour commute. While not horrible, it is not something I would recommend to anyone. Jay
I just looked at a map. I didn't realize that Essex and Middletown were connected by a highway. I thought they would be connected by a main road more like Route 34 or Route 80.
Middletown is better.
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