These are the 25 best towns to raise a family in Connecticut

Best places to raise a family in Connecticut

Choosing a place to raise children can be a daunting task for any family. If it takes a village to raise a child, that may just extend all the way to your next-door neighbor, fifth-grade teacher, or volunteer soccer coach. While all parents are looking for a great place to raise their kids, oftentimes this decision means balancing—and prioritizing—certain community resources and costs.

Stacker compiled a list of the best places to raise a family in Connecticut using data from Niche. Niche ranks places to live based on a variety of factors including cost of living, schools, health care, recreation, and weather. Keep reading to see if where you grew up or currently live made the list.

You may also like: Counties receiving the most SBA loans in Connecticut

#25. Orange

– Population: 13,934
– Median home value: $389,900 (88% own)
– Median rent: $1,648 (12% rent)
– Median household income: $121,308
– Top public schools: Amity Regional High School (A+), Amity Middle School: Orange (A), Peck Place School (A)
– Top private schools: Southern Connecticut Hebrew Academy (unavailable), The Foundation School Lower & Middle School (unavailable), Bright Horizons at Orange (unavailable)

– Pictured: 187 Sunrise Hill Cir Unit 187, Orange ($849,900, 4 bedrooms)

#24. Glenville

– Population: 2,538
– Median home value: $794,800 (67% own)
– Median rent: $2,030 (33% rent)
– Median household income: $155,200
– Top public schools: Greenwich High School (A+), Blind Brook High School (A+), Bruno M. Ponterio Ridge Street School (A)

– Pictured: 273 and 277 Pemberwick Rd, Greenwich ($995,000, 3 bedrooms)

#23. Glastonbury Center

– Population: 7,929
– Median home value: $299,100 (61% own)
– Median rent: $1,250 (39% rent)
– Median household income: $87,146
– Top public schools: Glastonbury High School (A+), Hebron Avenue School (A), Gideon Welles School (A)
– Top private schools: Glastonbury KinderCare (unavailable)

– Pictured: 122 Griswold St, Glastonbury ($419,900, 3 bedrooms)

#22. Fairfield

– Population: 61,740
– Median home value: $611,500 (82% own)
– Median rent: $1,886 (18% rent)
– Median household income: $139,122
– Top public schools: Fairfield Warde High School (A+), Fairfield Ludlowe High School (A), Dwight Elementary School (A)
– Top private schools: Fairfield College Preparatory School (A+), Notre Dame High School (A-), St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic School (A)

– Pictured: 1099 Pequot Ave, Fairfield ($14.0 million, 5 bedrooms)

#21. Woodbridge

– Population: 8,827
– Median home value: $464,400 (88% own)
– Median rent: $1,375 (12% rent)
– Median household income: $157,610
– Top public schools: Amity Regional High School (A+), Amity Middle School: Bethany (A+), Beecher Road School (A)
– Top private schools: Ezra Academy (unavailable), Children’s House of Montessori (unavailable), Yeladim Early Learning Center (unavailable)

– Pictured: Peck Hill Rd Unit 4, Woodbridge ($1.2 million, 4 bedrooms)

You may also like: Best public colleges in Connecticut

#20. West Simsbury

– Population: 2,764
– Median home value: $363,200 (88% own)
– Median rent: $2,107 (12% rent)
– Median household income: $124,570
– Top public schools: Simsbury High School (A+), Henry James Memorial School (A), Squadron Line School (A)
– Top private schools: The Master’s School (A)

– Pictured: 6 Shady Ln, Simsbury ($380,000, 3 bedrooms)

#19. Madison

– Population: 18,113
– Median home value: $428,600 (86% own)
– Median rent: $1,478 (14% rent)
– Median household income: $113,798
– Top public schools: Daniel Hand High School (A+), Haddam Elementary School (A), Kathleen H. Ryerson Elementary School (A)
– Top private schools: The Country School (A+), Our Lady of Mercy Preparatory Academy (unavailable), Grove School (unavailable)

– Pictured: 27 Middle Beach Rd, Madison ($2.2 million, 4 bedrooms)

#18. Easton

– Population: 7,543
– Median home value: $641,500 (93% own)
– Median rent: $1,813 (7% rent)
– Median household income: $157,448
– Top public schools: Joel Barlow High School (A+), Helen Keller Middle School (A), Samuel Staples Elementary School (A)
– Top private schools: Easton Country Day School (B+)

– Pictured: 125 Judd Rd, Easton ($1.7 million, 5 bedrooms)

#17. Farmington

– Population: 25,528
– Median home value: $332,000 (73% own)
– Median rent: $1,386 (27% rent)
– Median household income: $93,053
– Top public schools: Farmington High School (A+), Noah Wallace School (A), East Farms School (A)
– Top private schools: Miss Porter’s School (A+), Farmington KinderCare – Connecticut (unavailable), Joni’s Child Care & Preschool – Farmington (unavailable)

– Pictured: 184 Talcott Notch Rd, Farmington ($1.5 million, 6 bedrooms)

#16. Southport

– Population: 1,661
– Median home value: $703,200 (77% own)
– Median rent: $2,208 (23% rent)
– Median household income: $187,917
– Top public schools: Fairfield Ludlowe High School (A), Roger Ludlowe Middle School (A), Mill Hill School (A)
– Top private schools: The Southport School (unavailable)

– Pictured: 1227 Pequot Ave, Fairfield ($9.9 million, 9 bedrooms)

You may also like: Risky reservoirs: Connecticut counties where aging dams pose the greatest threat

#15. Glastonbury

– Population: 34,564
– Median home value: $348,000 (80% own)
– Median rent: $1,359 (20% rent)
– Median household income: $120,837
– Top public schools: Glastonbury High School (A+), Hebron Avenue School (A), Gideon Welles School (A)
– Top private schools: Shirley Reaback Early Childhood Center (unavailable), Bright Horizons at Village Place (unavailable), Glastonbury KinderCare (unavailable)

– Pictured: 24 Crystal Ridge Dr, Glastonbury ($2.0 million, 5 bedrooms)

#14. Wilton

– Population: 18,463
– Median home value: $793,200 (86% own)
– Median rent: $2,335 (14% rent)
– Median household income: $193,292
– Top public schools: Wilton High School (A+), Middlebrook School (A), Cider Mill School (A)
– Top private schools: The Montessori School (A+), Our Lady of Fatima School (unavailable), Connecticut Friends School (unavailable)

– Pictured: 66 Drum Hill Rd, Wilton ($2.8 million, 5 bedrooms)

#13. Darien

– Population: 21,742
– Median home value: $1,471,700 (87% own)
– Median rent: $2,469 (13% rent)
– Median household income: $232,523
– Top public schools: Darien High School (A+), Middlesex Middle School (A+), Tokeneke Elementary School (A)

– Pictured: 350-362 Mansfield, Darien ($7.0 million, 9 bedrooms)

#12. Weston

– Population: 10,287
– Median home value: $868,200 (96% own)
– Median rent: $2,724 (4% rent)
– Median household income: $222,535
– Top public schools: Weston High School (A+), Weston Middle School (A), Weston Intermediate School (A)

– Pictured: 21 Twin Oak Ln, Weston ($2.9 million, 6 bedrooms)

#11. Greenwich

– Population: 62,587
– Median home value: $1,251,200 (66% own)
– Median rent: $1,910 (34% rent)
– Median household income: $152,577
– Top public schools: Greenwich High School (A+), Blind Brook High School (A+), H.C. Crittenden Middle School (A+)
– Top private schools: Greenwich Academy (A+), Brunswick School (A+), Sacred Heart Greenwich (A+)

– Pictured: 100 Field Point Cir, Greenwich ($55.0 million, 8 bedrooms)

You may also like: Ham, potatoes, and other groceries that dropped in price in the Northeast last month

#10. Simsbury

– Population: 24,799
– Median home value: $332,800 (79% own)
– Median rent: $1,396 (21% rent)
– Median household income: $123,905
– Top public schools: Simsbury High School (A+), Henry James Memorial School (A), Canton High School (A)
– Top private schools: Westminster School (A+), The Ethel Walker School (A+), The Master’s School (A)

– Pictured: 9 Aspenwood Dr, Simsbury ($799,900, 4 bedrooms)

#9. Cos Cob

– Population: 6,990
– Median home value: $1,055,400 (68% own)
– Median rent: $1,979 (32% rent)
– Median household income: $149,375
– Top public schools: Greenwich High School (A+), North Mianus School (A), Eastern Middle School (A)
– Top private schools: Bridges School Early Childhood Program, Inc. (unavailable)

– Pictured: 56 Frontier Rd, Cos Cob ($3.2 million, 5 bedrooms)

#8. New Canaan

– Population: 20,276
– Median home value: $1,355,800 (79% own)
– Median rent: $2,228 (21% rent)
– Median household income: $190,227
– Top public schools: New Canaan High School (A+), East School (A+), West School (A+)
– Top private schools: St. Luke’s School (A+), New Canaan Country School (A), St. Aloysius Diocesan Elementary School (unavailable)

– Pictured: 291 Greenley Rd, New Canaan ($8.0 million, 6 bedrooms)

#7. West Hartford

– Population: 63,063
– Median home value: $334,300 (71% own)
– Median rent: $1,325 (29% rent)
– Median household income: $104,281
– Top public schools: Conard High School (A+), Hall High School (A+), Bugbee School (A+)
– Top private schools: Kingswood Oxford School (A+), Northwest Catholic High School (A), Hebrew High School of New England (A-)

– Pictured: 44 Sycamore Rd, West Hartford ($1.4 million, 7 bedrooms)

#6. Avon

– Population: 18,312
– Median home value: $383,200 (83% own)
– Median rent: $1,426 (17% rent)
– Median household income: $131,130
– Top public schools: Avon High School (A+), Avon Middle School (A), Thompson Brook School (A)
– Top private schools: Avon Old Farms School (A+), Farmington Valley Academy Montessori (unavailable), Talcott Mountain Academy of Science, Mathematics and Technology (unavailable)

– Pictured: 5 Pembroke Dr, Avon ($1.7 million, 5 bedrooms)

You may also like: Counties with the most prewar homes in Connecticut

#5. Ridgefield

– Population: 25,042
– Median home value: $653,100 (86% own)
– Median rent: $1,786 (14% rent)
– Median household income: $163,945
– Top public schools: Ridgefield High School (A+), Scotland Elementary School (A), Branchville Elementary School (A)
– Top private schools: Ridgefield Academy (A), St. Mary School (unavailable), Ridgefield Montessori School (unavailable)

– Pictured: 323 Florida Hill Rd, Ridgefield ($4.9 million, 5 bedrooms)

#4. Westport

– Population: 28,016
– Median home value: $1,150,400 (85% own)
– Median rent: $1,956 (15% rent)
– Median household income: $206,466
– Top public schools: Staples High School (A+), Green’s Farms School (A+), Long Lots School (A+)
– Top private schools: Greens Farms Academy (A+), Pierrepont School (A+), Landmark of Ridgefield Academy (unavailable)

– Pictured: 66 Beachside Ave, Westport ($12.0 million, 6 bedrooms)

#3. Riverside

– Population: 8,604
– Median home value: $1,383,800 (80% own)
– Median rent: $2,168 (20% rent)
– Median household income: $215,791
– Top public schools: Greenwich High School (A+), North Mianus School (A), International School at Dundee (A)

– Pictured: 41 Dawn Harbor Ln, Riverside ($5.5 million, 6 bedrooms)

#2. Weatogue

– Population: 2,738
– Median home value: $322,200 (89% own)
– Median rent: $1,304 (11% rent)
– Median household income: $133,393
– Top public schools: Simsbury High School (A+), Henry James Memorial School (A), Central School (A)
– Top private schools: The Ethel Walker School (A+)

– Pictured: 2 Tallwood Ln, Simsbury ($524,900, 4 bedrooms)

#1. Old Greenwich

– Population: 6,844
– Median home value: $1,561,200 (84% own)
– Median rent: $2,127 (16% rent)
– Median household income: $222,794
– Top public schools: Greenwich High School (A+), North Mianus School (A), International School at Dundee (A)

– Pictured: 20 Ballwood Rd, Old Greenwich ($7.6 million, 6 bedrooms)

You may also like: Counties with the most bridges in dire need of repair in Connecticut

 

By Stacker