[force139]

I'm looking for recommendations of what towns to try for a 4-month rental (Aug-Dec) along the New Haven rail line.

Since I have a dog, my first priority is a good sized yard. Thus, I need a community where homes have yards, not a block of apartment buildings.

Yet my second priority is to be in a small, quaint, walkable neighborhood near the rail line to NYC, and I hope to be not much more than 2 hours away from NYC by rail. I want to live in a community where I can walk to buy groceries, restaurants, shops, and where live or movie theaters are a walk or easy bus ride away. I want a certain degree of street activity, but I definitely don't want to be in an inner city atmosphere. A mid-sized town or an upscale neighborhood in a bigger town would be perfect.

I have seen some towns that seem very beautiful but are too sleepy. I don't want to have to drive to another town to do basic things. But being from Los Angeles I am trying to get away from urban grit. I'm trying to find that happy medium where there is enough space for homes to have yard, but not so much space that there is no walkable city center.

Here in California, we have towns like San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara of 60,000-80,000 people. Of course, they sprawl around the edges, but they have vibrant, walkable city centers with sizable houses with yards a 5-minute walk from the main boulevard(s). Can anyone clue me into similar communities in Southwestern or South-Central Connecticut?

I'm eager to hear about any towns or neighborhoods that are beautiful and free of "urban grit" but not dead!

If it matters, my budget is about $1,500/month for at least 1 bedroom.
Thanks!

[nico7]

Many of the towns along the Connecticut shoreline retain the structures and designs of their centers that were laid out somewhere in the 1635-1700 period. The scale of things is generally much smaller than what you have on the California coastline. However, there are some very nice (yes, "quaint") towns with walkable centers and nice neighborhoods nearby. Think "old town" San Diego. I would recommend checking out Branford, Milford, and Fairfield. If you're going to be commuting to NYC more than twice a week, Milford is the furthest you want to be from NYC. Branford is past the end of the New Haven Line -- it's a 10-to-15-minute ride on a connecting train from New Haven.

[Stratford, Ct. Resident]

I think you may have to rule out West Haven because it probably isn't the greatest walk/bikeride to the New Haven station. Milford is good, i'd also consider Stratford as well. I seriously doubt that you'll find a half-duplex in Fairfield for $1500, but Fairfield is nice. If you're commuting daily into the city though, you'll want to seriously reconsider moving out this far into Connecticut. Good luck.

[kidyankee764]

Milford and Stratford are nice towns but aren't a very easy commute to Manhattan.

I would suggest settling for a smaller apartment and looking in Stamford. It is a great city and if you live near downtown, it's very walkable. There are apartment buildings but also nice, middle class neighborhoods in central Stamford. You can also walk to the train station depending on your location and there are many parks where you can take your dog. Just watch the small area in the southwest corner of the city because it can get a little seedy.

[JayCT]

Your budget and need for a yard will pretty much force you out of Fairfield County. You could try Milford, but I am not sure what you want would be in your price range there either. You could go east of New Haven but the commute to NY gets pretty long and requires a change of trains in New Haven. Branford and possibly Guilford might be a good place to look.

Keep in mind though that you will still need a car here. None of these towns have all of your shopping and entertainment needs right there. I hope this helps. Jay

[force139]

I guess I should clarify a few things. First, i won't be commuting regularly to Manhattan. I just want to be able to visit frequently with minimal ordeal. An hour travel time is perfectly fine. Second, I won't say that "price is no object" but I am willing to spend more if I can get those elements I have named. $2000? $2,500 (I hope not more than that!!) It seems like Milford is coming up a lot. If I spent more, would I be able to get a house with yard in some kind of pedestrian-friendly neighborhood, etc., etc.? Any opinions about Darien?

Thanks for all the help so far.

[andthentherewere3]

Darien would be out of your price range, although it's a beautiful town. Darien is one of the most expensive towns in the country. Renting a home in Fairfield under $2500 a month would also be a challenge, although I did just find a cape rental with a yard on Craigslist for $2500, so it's do-able. And it has a walkable downtown.

The further north you go from NYC, the further your $$ will go. Milford is more affordable, and you might find a house with a yard there. Milford is rather a large town, and I wouldn't really describe it as quaint and walkable, although it has some very nice areas. As for West Haven, you mentioned wanting something free from "urban grit"; West Haven is rather gritty in many areas, and to me is very urban. However, the prices are more reasonable there. If you are willing to head further away from the shoreline, towns such as Seymour/Derby/Ansonia/Shelton would have rental homes in your price range. But they would be further away from a train station, and you wouldn't have a quaint, walkable downtown. You might have to make some sacrifices; Fairfield County along the New Haven Rail line is very expensive. And as Jay pointed out, you will likely need a car. To have a home with a yard generally puts you further away from downtown areas.

[nico7]

If anywhere in Fairfield County, I think you would find what you're looking for in Fairfield. Ridgefield might work, but they have no train station if I remember correctly. Stamford is a possibility, but there is some urban grit. In Darien, the median home sale price is around $2 million, and many of the towns in Fairfield County are not much more affordable. By train, Fairfield is (I think) about an hour from NYC, Milford is about 80 minutes, and Branford would be 90-105 minutes. You would get much more for your money in Milford or Branford than in Fairfield County, but they are considerably more than an hour from NYC by train. It is still easy to get on a train and go to Manhattan, but the ride is a bit longer.

[JayCT]

If you are only looking to live near access to New York, I would then suggest checking out the shoreline towns east of New Haven. Branford, Guilford and Madison are all beautiful with many of the things you are looking for. You should be able to find a rental within your modified price range. Jay