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We're moving to Fairfield County and are not sure where to look. I've done some research and know a few basics of the area but really need some help in narrowing our search. I know Greenwich is big bucks. I'm told New Haven is not so appealing. Here's what we're looking for:
My husband will be commuting to Manhattan about once a week so we're looking for a 2 hr or less commute. We have 4 children so schools are important. We're looking to rent a 4+ bdrm home that's around 3000+ sqft for around $3000/mo or less and a town that has some options to live rurally but be near everything we need... grocery, malls, etc. Some options for a great Christian church are very important and of course we LOVE the beach!
I really appreciate any feedback! Thanks so much!
Last edited by ForSuchATimeAsThis; 02-15-2011 at 10:48 AM..
Don't live in Fairfield County if you don't have to. The southern parts are prohibitively expensive, and you can deal with a NYC commute from a New Haven County town while paying half as much for your home. New Haven proper is not good for a family, but the county itself has many fantastic suburbs.
If you really want to live in Fairfield County, check out Fairfield itself. Nice town, not too far from NYC and great schools. If you'd rather get more for your money, go up the line a bit to Orange, Milford, or Woodbridge. Orange is a great town - rural-ish and very nice, but a stones throw from Route 1, which has every store imaginable. Again, excellent schools (shared with Woodbridge and Bethany) and near Metro North/I-95/Merritt Parkway for a pretty easy commute to Manhattan.
As for beaches, the town of Fairfield has beautiful beaches, as does Milford. Orange is very close to Milford's beaches, and the pier at Savin Rock in West Haven.
Last edited by kidyankee764; 02-15-2011 at 11:04 AM..
I would recommend towns along the Shoreline East railroad (Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Westbrook) because the schools are very good, you'll be on Long Island Sound getting closer to clean water (the water in Greenwich is filthy), and you'll get the most bang for your buck (ex Madison) plus be able to live in a somewhat rural area if you live in an area away from the ocean. However, the commute time by train to Grand Central Station will be 2.5 to 2.9 hours long one way. If your husband is okay with using that time to catch up on sleep, read a book, etc. then it's not bad.
Unfortunately there is no town in Fairfield County that has everything you're looking for. Fairfield is the best option but it is most certainly not rural. Homes are (imho) very close together (0.30 acres or less) unless you pay up for acreage. Milford is okay and it's located on the metro-north train line going into NYC, but again it is not rural.
You may want to look in to Trumbull. It's about 2 hours from NYC-- You can take the train from Bridgeport, or drive in. Trumbull has great schools, is family oriented, and seems to have churches and synagogues on every corner. I think you could find a rental in your price range there. Trumbull is more rural in character than Fairfield but still has a variety of housing options.
While there is no ocean beach in Trumbull, you are minutes from the state beach in Westport, and Trumbull has lake based beaches in a couple of it's parks-- Twin Brooks is lovely and great for kids. Trumbull also has excellent town and recreational facilities. The very popular Tashua pool is great for cooling off in the summer. Tashua has a golf course and tennis facilities as well. Trumbull has always had one of the most active recreational youth soccer programs in the state. AYSO soccer is a virtual institution in Trumbull.
Trumbull also has a shopping mall and some "big box" stores. You will also find excellent restaurants in near-by Fairfield, Westport and New Haven.
I think Trumbull warrants some serious consideration for you.
Thanks everyone for all the info. I'm looking into the towns further up the coast. I've also looked at Trumbull but haven't found much for rentals there. Newtown was suggested to us. What do you think of that area and others more inland? I'm told Danbury has a lot happening but to live outside of the city. We're not local so it's a real challenge not knowing the area at all. I also never considered the ocean water being dirty. What do you think of the beaches? I've only visited upper New England beaches. The water is cold but the beaches are great.
my family and I are thinking of re-locating to Newtown Ct from
Westport.
This is a huge decision as I am fully aware that Westport has this
reputation of being a highly desirable place to live. Of course it is lovely
and the people here are very nice and so cosmopolitan.
BUT , it is hectic , noisy , very , very competitive and it's a strain on my husband ( who is not a banker like most of Westport ) and it's a
strain on my kids who are flanked on every side by intensely privilidged
children. We all think it may be better to leave as we are suffocated
by our mortgage and live at such a fast pace of life.
I am just wondering if you folks out there think it would be too much
of a culture shock for us to move to Newtown ?
It's completely obvious from my research that I am going to have a far superior home to the very expensive raised ranch I am in at the moment,
( yes, bought at the height of the market ).
I have wonderful friends here , but was born and raised in the countryside of
Wales so I am not AFRAID to move to somewhere rural , but I do need
some half decent stores fairly nearby and most importantly would
I be doing the kids a diservice by taking them out of Staples and sending
them to Newtown high school ??
Any thoughts , I would be so grateful.
Thanks everyone for all the info. I'm looking into the towns further up the coast. I've also looked at Trumbull but haven't found much for rentals there. Newtown was suggested to us. What do you think of that area and others more inland? I'm told Danbury has a lot happening but to live outside of the city. We're not local so it's a real challenge not knowing the area at all. I also never considered the ocean water being dirty. What do you think of the beaches? I've only visited upper New England beaches. The water is cold but the beaches are great.
Danbury is a medium-sized city and is overall a very nice area. The towns surrounding Danbury are very nice (Bethel, Newtown, New Fairfield, Redding, Ridgefield, Southbury) but they are not near the beach. There is Candlewood Lake nearby but that isn't similar to the sound, at all.
I still suggest you look into Orange, and as mlassoff suggested, maybe even Trumbull. Trumbull is just over an hour drive from NYC without traffic (2 hours, mlassoff??), Orange about 1hr 15 min. The train takes a bit longer but is much more convenient out of Milford and Fairfield. Both towns are landlocked but close to beaches.
Also, I think the suggestion of Madison and Guilford is excellent, a bit far from NYC but not bad if you're only going once a week. Definitely check those out.
Thanks everyone for all the info. I'm looking into the towns further up the coast. I've also looked at Trumbull but haven't found much for rentals there. Newtown was suggested to us. What do you think of that area and others more inland? I'm told Danbury has a lot happening but to live outside of the city. We're not local so it's a real challenge not knowing the area at all. I also never considered the ocean water being dirty. What do you think of the beaches? I've only visited upper New England beaches. The water is cold but the beaches are great.
I'd second KidYankee's suggestion to look into towns around Danbury, particularly Brookfield. You will have lake access year round and there is a definite "community". Your husband will likely need to travel down congested Rt. 7 to get to the Metro North Railroad, but if it's only once a week it is do-able. I believe there are quite a few people in Brookfield that commute to NYC. It's too bad that you couldn't find anything in Trumbull because it is a nice town and very close to Bridgeport which has huge sandy beaches.
Newtown is a nice area that feels somewhat rural as there isn't much shopping in town. I read recently on this forum that it's the 5th largest town/city in CT so your kids will have lots of choices for playmates! Newtown is more of community than Brookfield and there are many town sponsored events that take place each year. It also encompasses part of CT's largest lake, Lake Zoar, so that's a plus for the summer season.
If you're devoted to living on Long Island Sound, again I would recommend the towns past New Haven. It is not ocean water--it is sound water which means that the water is not constantly churning in and out (and getting clean) because Long Island creates a blockade. The water is filthiest in Greenwich since it is at the most western point of CT and it takes forever for fresh water to mix in; several times each summer the beaches need to be shut down due to high bacteria levels in the water caused by rain/sewage. It's repulsive. Imho, the water doesn't start turning oceanlike until you hit Madison/Clinton.
It also encompasses part of CT's largest lake, Lake Zoar, so that's a plus for the summer season.
Nice post. But isn't Candlewood CT's largest lake? Zoar only borders four towns (Monroe, Newtown, Oxford, Southbury) while Candlewood borders (Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford and Sherman.)
Nice post. But isn't Candlewood CT's largest lake? Zoar only borders four towns (Monroe, Newtown, Oxford, Southbury) while Candlewood borders (Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, New Milford and Sherman.)
You're right. I have no idea where I read about Zoar being the largest, but it was wrong and stuck in my head. Candlewood Lake is the largest (and also man made) while Bantam Lake is the largest natural lake in CT.
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moving from westport to newtown ct
