[kidyankee764]

Originally Posted by JayCT

This article reminded me of the Town Tournament we did last year. I remember the minor controversy we had over West Hartford coming out No. 15 rather than higher in our outcome. In Niche’s rating it is No. 1 followed by the Weatogue section of Simsbury. Niche ranks sections of towns separately which is odd. The Southport section of our No. 1 town, Fairfield, is ranked No. 6. Seems low to me. Fairfield overall ranks No. 12. Other of out top towns like Greenwich, Simsbury, Ridgefield, Farmington, Westport, Woodbridge and Avon are also in the top 15. What do you think? Jay

https://patch.com/connecticut/westha...wn-connecticut

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live...s/connecticut/

West Hartford has never been my cup of tea, although I will say the home price cost vs amenities are good. Nowhere else can you get a small but nice home for 275k in a desirable suburb with great schools. When I say nowhere else, I don’t just mean nowhere else in the state, I mean nowhere else in the country.

That 275k home in WH would be 800k in Irvine, CA, 700k in Coral Gables, FL, or 450k in Woodlands, TX.

[SteveM85]

Originally Posted by ProudFairfielder

The tournaments are only in the spring of even numbered years. We're halfway to Faifield's next W!

You serious! I can't wait another year

No Sound, but forgot to add Litchfield to my tops list. What a Main St! Now that's what New England charm and Main Streets are all about. Wow!

[Danny K]

Originally Posted by JayCT

This article reminded me of the Town Tournament we did last year. I remember the minor controversy we had over West Hartford coming out No. 15 rather than higher in our outcome. In Niche’s rating it is No. 1 followed by the Weatogue section of Simsbury. Niche ranks sections of towns separately which is odd. The Southport section of our No. 1 town, Fairfield, is ranked No. 6. Seems low to me. Fairfield overall ranks No. 12. Other of out top towns like Greenwich, Simsbury, Ridgefield, Farmington, Westport, Woodbridge and Avon are also in the top 15. What do you think? Jay

https://patch.com/connecticut/westha...wn-connecticut

https://www.niche.com/places-to-live...s/connecticut/

It is interesting that you mention these links because a friend that lives in West Hartford also pointed this out to me (it was mainly to teeze me about the tournament results), but seriously it is interesting to compare. However, in all honesty, I have never really taken these links very seriously because I feel the towns that are more well known will be higher on many of these places.

As for West Hartford, I do think it is a very nice town, and especially love the restaurants in Downtown there, but it is definitely not number 1 for me or even close. The main issue that I have with West Hartford is it being a close suburb of Hartford, there is a lot of city life spill over there and much of it feels almost like a small city. I feel that it is growing too fast (very similar thing can be said about Fairfield due to the spillover all the way from NYC, but to a lesser extent as of now).

I am also not a huge fan of Avon and Simsbury at all and am very puzzled as to how they 3 and 4 here. I mean they are good towns but I just feel that both of those towns (Avon especially) are just like normal suburbs that you'll find pretty much in any state without any kind of charm to them. Simsbury maybe has some charm, I'll give credit for that, but it is mostly a town with a suburban center and the rest being pretty rural. Avon is even worse.

My personal opinion, I just really love the coastal towns better because of the beaches and many of them just have special charm that much of the inland towns just do not have. Like: Milford, Branford, Guilford, Madison, Old Saybrook (Fenwick Area), and Stonington. Glastonbury is by far my favorite town not on the coast because the town center is very charming and it does have some amazing scenery and nature in different areas. Then I'd put West Hartford, Essex, and Chester. Litchfield is also nice but a little too rural for me.

I used to really love Fairfield but like I mentioned earlier, it just keeps growing too fast and it is becoming more like a small city and it is losing much of its charm that it used to have. I still love Southport and Jennings Beach is one of the nicest beaches in the state, but the town center I feel is losing the charm it used to have. I still love a lot of the restaurants there though, and some of the northern parts like Fairfield Woods, and Hoydens Hill have charm to them.

[Danny K]

Originally Posted by nico7

I don't have anything against West Hartford or Simsbury, they are nice towns, but I think the methods here are bunk. Simsbury twice in the top 5 -- that says all you need to know. Madison is next to Rocky Hill in their rankings, which I think are not comparable towns in their desirability.

Formulating my own ranking would take me untold hours and I would probably create an "index score" rather than be totally subjective about it. Branford, Guilford, Madison would be higher. Factoring in cost of living and the nearness to NYC, some of the FFC towns would lose a few points in my version.

Litchfield, Middlesex, New London, Tolland, Windham counties would have better representation in the top 25.

Couldn't agree more with this.

[Danny K]

Originally Posted by SteveM85

Looks great to me. There's no wrong or right answers.
My personal top 10 any order, this is just geographic - Greenwich, Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk, Westport, Fairfield, Milford, Guilford, Madison, Mytic-Stonington. Long Island Sound is my only score index. Simple.

When does the 2021 Tournamant start. Where is DannyK?

I am sorry Steve, but I do this every 2 years (not every year). Almost halfway through, April 2022 will come before you know it! This year is especially busy for me due to a time of transition so I cannot do it this spring but it'll be back in just about a year from now. Gosh how time goes so fast. I cannot believe it has been almost a whole year since I started the last one. It feels like yesterday!

[dazzleman]

Originally Posted by Danny K

It is interesting that you mention these links because a friend that lives in West Hartford also pointed this out to me (it was mainly to teeze me about the tournament results), but seriously it is interesting to compare. However, in all honesty, I have never really taken these links very seriously because I feel the towns that are more well known will be higher on many of these places.

As for West Hartford, I do think it is a very nice town, and especially love the restaurants in Downtown there, but it is definitely not number 1 for me or even close. The main issue that I have with West Hartford is it being a close suburb of Hartford, there is a lot of city life spill over there and much of it feels almost like a small city. I feel that it is growing too fast (very similar thing can be said about Fairfield due to the spillover all the way from NYC, but to a lesser extent as of now).

I am also not a huge fan of Avon and Simsbury at all and am very puzzled as to how they 3 and 4 here. I mean they are good towns but I just feel that both of those towns (Avon especially) are just like normal suburbs that you'll find pretty much in any state without any kind of charm to them. Simsbury maybe has some charm, I'll give credit for that, but it is mostly a town with a suburban center and the rest being pretty rural. Avon is even worse.

My personal opinion, I just really love the coastal towns better because of the beaches and many of them just have special charm that much of the inland towns just do not have. Like: Milford, Branford, Guilford, Madison, Old Saybrook (Fenwick Area), and Stonington. Glastonbury is by far my favorite town not on the coast because the town center is very charming and it does have some amazing scenery and nature in different areas. Then I'd put West Hartford, Essex, and Chester. Litchfield is also nice but a little too rural for me.

I used to really love Fairfield but like I mentioned earlier, it just keeps growing too fast and it is becoming more like a small city and it is losing much of its charm that it used to have. I still love Southport and Jennings Beach is one of the nicest beaches in the state, but the town center I feel is losing the charm it used to have. I still love a lot of the restaurants there though, and some of the northern parts like Fairfield Woods, and Hoydens Hill have charm to them.

I thunk you're right about Fairfield. It is growing too fast and losing its charm. I've lived her for 25+ years and I have always loved it, but I started to notice a few years ago that it is becoming na lot like where I left behind in southern Westchester. I hate.to see it happen.

[whome224]

Originally Posted by dazzleman

I thunk you're right about Fairfield. It is growing too fast.and losing its charm. I've lived her for 25+ years and I have always loved it, but I started to notice a few years ago that it is becoming na lot like where I left behind in southern Westchester. I hate.to see it happen.

In what way? Much of the town looks like it did back then. There was always a busy town center. Only difference are the teardowns in the beach area, from my perspective.

[dazzleman]

Originally Posted by whome224

In what way? Much of the town looks like it did back then. There was always a busy town center. Only difference are the teardowns in the beach area, from my perspective.

Everything just seems so much more crowded. It has become a nightmare to do any type of shopping on a Saturday, for example. It didn't used to be that bad. There are teardowns in many sections and I tend not to like the new houses that are being put up. It's more the tempo of the town than just the look. It has taken on a faster tempo.

Some things are better, like the selection of restaurants.

[SteveM85]

Originally Posted by Danny K

I am sorry Steve, but I do this every 2 years (not every year). Almost halfway through, April 2022 will come before you know it! This year is especially busy for me due to a time of transition so I cannot do it this spring but it'll be back in just about a year from now. Gosh how time goes so fast. I cannot believe it has been almost a whole year since I started the last one. It feels like yesterday!

It was one for the ages.
Good to hear from you

[SteveM85]

Originally Posted by whome224

In what way? Much of the town looks like it did back then. There was always a busy town center. Only difference are the teardowns in the beach area, from my perspective.

That's right, and if you live in a quiet forest neighborhood, what difference does it make what town anyway.
Same for living on the Sound, even better. Shopping anywhere in between Greenwch and New Haven can get busy and crowded. It's the tri-state.