When you're ready to find a quiet place to settle down and maybe start a family, consider making one of the many small towns in Connecticut your new home. From rural towns that offer good schools and low crime rates to secluded enclaves on the shoreline, Connecticut's small towns offer a variety of neighborhoods, communities and lifestyles.
Despite its status as a small town with a land mass of roughly 16 square miles and a population of less than 7,000, Westbrook offers plenty of things to see and do. This laid-back shoreline community is within commuting distance of Hartford via Route 9, and it's just 27 miles north of New Haven and 22 miles south of New London via I-95. Homes are pricey in Westbrook with an average price of more than $440,000, but that number pales in comparison to some of the nearby towns. Centerbrook and Deep River's average price exceeds $500,000 and nearby Old Saybrook and Fenwick's average home prices are more than $800,000. The Westbrook community has a crime rate that's roughly 50 percent below the national average, making it a safe place to live and raise children.
Westbrook is popular for its coastal location, the Tangier Outlet mall and the many restaurants that dot Route 1, including the ever-popular Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale, dubbed a "Connecticut institution" by Connecticut Magazine. Spend a summer day relaxing on West Beach rubbing elbows with the rest of the locals, or enjoy a day of pampering at the Water's Edge Resort and Spa. Westbrook isn't known for its nightlife, but the town is only a 30-minute drive to the state's largest casinos in Uncasville.
Situated in Northwestern Connecticut, Litchfield is an idyllic place to call home. Spread out over a full 56 square miles, it's relatively large in relation to many of the other small towns in Connecticut, but its population sits at just under 9,000 residents. Litchfield is comprised of three distinct neighborhoods: Bantam, Town Center and Northfield. While the median house value in Litchfield overall is $294,749, it varies by neighborhood. Median home values in Bantam and Northfield are close at $279,001 and $288,298 respectively, but Town Center boasts median house values of $323,83, which is higher than 71 percent of the state and 76.5 percent of the nation.
Litchfield is known for its cultural diversity, as it has an above-average population of people with Greek, Italian, French, Hungarian and Irish ancestry. The locals mix and mingle with at Bantam Lake, the largest natural lake in the state, during the summer months, or they stroll through downtown Town Center to visit at the many restaurants, cafes and boutiques. Litchfield is perfectly driveable, but residents prefer to walk, whether it's to school, to work, or just to visit friends. If you're planning on starting a family, you'll be happy to know that Litchfield's school system has won a National School of Excellence award.
Tucked away in the corner of elite Fairfield County, Redding is a quiet community that offers the quintessential small-town New England lifestyle. A quiet community that the New York Times calls an "upscale town with upcountry style," Redding shuns sidewalks and it fiercely protects its green spaces. In fact, close to 20 percent of the town's land is permanently protected from development of any kind, giving it an untouched feel. Many politicians, artists and celebrities have called Redding home at some point because of the privacy it offers, the low crime rate and its proximity to New York City and LaGuardia and JFK airports. Current residents include actor Michael Ian Black, actress Diana Canova and director Barry Levinson, but author Mark Twain, composer Leonard Bernstein and former NAACP head Walter White have all lived in Redding. Locals come out in force during the summer for its Sunday evening concerts on the green and lazy afternoons spent swimming or playing golf at the Redding Country Club.
Redding, which is often considered one of the New York City suburbs, is a wealthy community with more than 25 percent of its residents working in executive and management positions and almost one-third of the households enjoying an annual income of $200,000 or more. Median home list prices in Redding are $629,000, but the median closing price is closer to $500,000, which could indicate that it's a buyer's market in Redding.
Small towns in Connecticut don't get much smaller than Washington, which is home to a mere 3,500 residents. Though it's a secluded, fairly rural community, Washington boasts a wealthy, educated population. Median home values are roughly $525,000, though a full 21 percent of the homes are valued at $1 million or more. The community is situated in the central western part of the state just 40 miles east of Poughkeepsie, New York, 25 miles north of Danbury and 50 miles west of Hartford. Those who choose to live here generally have a sizeable commute and a lack of nightlife, but Washington more than makes up for it with its vibrant community spirit. With several farms located in town, you'll enjoy farm-to-table cuisine when you visit any of the town's restaurants, including the historic White House Pub, G.W. Tavern and Asian-inspired Norimaki.
Though Wallingford is somewhat large with a population of more than 45,000 residents, it doesn't get more small town than this. It's home to beautiful open spaces, several parks and athletic fields and even a brand new dog park. Main Street is the heartbeat of the town, and it's where you'll find the locals mixing and mingling all year round. It's home to several pubs and restaurants, including Archie Moore's, Tavern on the Green, Half Moon Cafe and Michael's Trattoria, and there's also an ice cream and old-fashioned candy shop that's popular with the young ones. Everyone turns out for the annual Taste of Wallingford and the summer Concert on the Green series, and Main Street closes down for an evening around Halloween to host a party for the town children. Wallingford has had its share of celebrities such as Harrison Ford thanks to Choate-Rosemary Hall prep school which is located throughout the center of town.
A mere 10-minute drive to New Haven and 20 minutes from Hartford, Wallingford's residential real estate is made up primarily of single or two-family homes. With an average home price of roughly $250,000 and sizable property lots, it's a great place to settle down and place some roots.
