The 10 Best Places To Live In Connecticut For 2026

Source: Wikipedia User TheDemonChicken at English Wikipedia | GFDL

$108,185 median income · $549,374 median home · #1 best place in Connecticut

Located in Fairfield County, Connecticut

Median income +13% vs CT

$108,185

CT $96k

Median home value +26% vs CT

$549,374

CT $436k

Unemployment -12% vs CT

4.9%

CT 5.6%

We begin our exploration of the best places to live in Connecticut for 2026 with Shelton, a city of 41,889 located between Bridgeport and New Haven. Shelton has an extremely successful economy, with the 3rd lowest poverty level and 3rd lowest unemployment rate in Connecticut, at 6.6% and 4.9% respectively.

It’s not like people are just scraping by here either. We named Shelton the richest place in Connecticut, with the 3rd highest household median income in the state at $108,185 year. Homes are also the 3rd most expensive statewide, with a median price tag of $549,374.

One thing to note is that at 44, Shelton has the oldest median age of anywhere we’ll be covering on this list. Seeing as older folks with lots of cash don’t have any reason to go around committing crimes, it makes sense that Shelton also has the lowest crime rate in CT, about 70% lower than the national average. And if you’re looking for a school district that invests in its youth, Shelton spends roughly 10% more per student than the statewide average.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Wikipedia User makemake | GFDL

$111,201 median income · $493,542 median home · #2 best place in Connecticut

Located in New Haven County, Connecticut

Median income +16% vs CT

$111,201

CT $96k

Median home value +13% vs CT

$493,542

CT $436k

Unemployment -21% vs CT

4.4%

CT 5.6%

Milford is a city of 51,023 sandwiched between New Haven and Bridgeport on Long Island Sound. Milford’s public schools have a student-teacher ratio of 11:1, beating out the statewide average of 13:1. All that extra one-on-one attention apparently does the trick, because students in Milford dropout of high school at the lowest rate in Connecticut.

Staying in school pays off big time and Milford showcases that wonderfully. Milford has a poverty level of just 5.2% and an unemployment rate of 4.4%, both of which rank at or near the top compared to other Connecticut cities. Homes in Milford are the 4th priciest in the state at $493,542. The median household income in Milford is $111,201/year, so you’ll want to make sure you can pull in around that much if you want to live comfortably here.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Public domain

$79,577 median income · $425,384 median home · #3 best place in Connecticut

Located in New London County, Connecticut

Median income -17% vs CT

$79,577

CT $96k

Median home value -3% vs CT

$425,384

CT $436k

Unemployment +7% vs CT

6.0%

CT 5.6%

We’re taking our first foray into eastern Connecticut to reach the 3rd best place in the state, Groton. This is the youngest city we’ll be covering on our list, with a median age of 39. Part of the reason Groton is so young is that its home to a naval submarine base.

Even if you’re not signing up for the Navy, you can learn more about Groton’s historical ties to America’s naval tradition at the Submarine Force Museum.

Even though it’s technically located in Mystic, I couldn’t fail to include the nearby Mystic Aquarium here; seriously, every Connecticut kid will end up here on a field trip at some point and to this day it’s one of the most impressive aquariums I’ve visited.

Perhaps having some armed forces around keeps people in check, because Groton’s crime rate is roughly 20% lower than the CT average and ranks as the 2nd lowest statewide. If you’re not taking a submarine to work, your commute in Groton will take about 17 minutes, the 1st shortest commute in the state.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Wikipedia User Joe Mabel | GFDL

$79,438 median income · $354,795 median home · #4 best place in Connecticut

Located in Middlesex County, Connecticut

Median income -17% vs CT

$79,438

CT $96k

Median home value -19% vs CT

$354,795

CT $436k

Unemployment -16% vs CT

4.7%

CT 5.6%

Coming as the 4th best place to live in CT is Middletown, a city of 47,958 about 15 minutes southeast of New Britain. Middletown is home to the prestigious Wesleyan University, so you’ll never have to look far to find intelligent conversation here.

Middletown enjoys the 2nd lowest unemployment rate in Connecticut at 4.7%. All those employed people also get the benefit of having the 8th shortest average commute time in the state at 23 minutes. You have very little reason to fear being car-jacked on said commute either because Middletown has 6th lowest rate of criminal activity in Connecticut.

If you do find yourself in a bad way medically, Middletown will have you feeling right as rain in no time, because 96.6% of residents have health insurance, the 3rd highest rate in CT.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Flickr User eschipul | CC BY-SA 2.0

$96,324 median income · $346,062 median home · #5 best place in Connecticut

Located in New Haven County, Connecticut

Median income +1% vs CT

$96,324

CT $96k

Median home value -21% vs CT

$346,062

CT $436k

Unemployment -9% vs CT

5.1%

CT 5.6%

Located just south of Waterbury, Naugatuck comes in as the 5th best place to live in Connecticut for 2026. While there are many expensive places in Connecticut, Naugatuck isn’t one of them. With a cost of living about 10% lower than the statewide average, Naugatuck is one of the cheapest places to settle down in. Combine that with the 5th highest median household income in CT at $96,324/year and you’ve got yourself a recipe for big savings.

Naugatuck also has the 4th lowest crime rate in Connecticut, so you won’t have to worry about Amazon porch pirates here. And with the 2nd lowest poverty level in the state at 6.3, you don’t have to worry about an economic downturn much either.

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Source: Wikipedia User | CC BY 2.5

$79,076 median income · $339,024 median home · #6 best place in Connecticut

Located in Hartford County, Connecticut

Median income -17% vs CT

$79,076

CT $96k

Median home value -22% vs CT

$339,024

CT $436k

Unemployment +30% vs CT

7.3%

CT 5.6%

Next up on our tour of awesome places to live in Connecticut is Bristol, a city of 61,462 located north of Waterbury and west of New Britain. The cost of living in Bristol is about 10% lower than the Connecticut average, making it one of the most affordable places to live on this list. Residents enjoy low unemployment and poverty numbers as well, so everyone gets in on the savings in Bristol. And if safety is a big concern for you, Bristol had the 3rd lowest rate of violent crime in the state.

One thing to note is that Bristol is also one of the most liberal cities in Connecticut, so keep that in mind if the political affiliation of your neighborhood is important to you.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Public domain

$111,586 median income · $704,417 median home · #7 best place in Connecticut

Located in Fairfield County, Connecticut

Median income +17% vs CT

$111,586

CT $96k

Median home value +61% vs CT

$704,417

CT $436k

Unemployment -12% vs CT

4.9%

CT 5.6%

It’s hard to know where to begin when covering a city as awesome as Stamford, the third biggest city in Connecticut. Stamford is home to eight Fortune 500 companies and is the largest financial district in the New York metropolitan area (besides NYC itself), so you know there’s a solid economic base here. Stamford enjoys the highest median household income in the state at $111,586/year. The poverty level and unemployment rate are both among the top ten lowest in the state as well.

The only downside of Stamford is how pricey it is. The cost of living in Stamford is about 60% higher than the national average, making it Connecticut’s most expensive city. All that cash will buy you some super-smart neighbors because over 20% of residents have at least a master’s degree.

It’ll also buy you access to one of the most happening cities in CT. Stamford is also the state’s fastest-growing city, having added roughly 8,000 people to its ranks since 2010.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Wikipedia User Noroton at English Wikipedia | GFDL

$107,616 median income · $653,113 median home · #8 best place in Connecticut

Located in Fairfield County, Connecticut

Median income +12% vs CT

$107,616

CT $96k

Median home value +50% vs CT

$653,113

CT $436k

Unemployment -7% vs CT

5.2%

CT 5.6%

Located on the northern shore of Long Island Sound between Stamford and Bridgeport, Norwalk ranks as the 8th best place to call home in CT. Those looking for a fun day out will find exactly that at The Maritime Aquarium, but those who’d rather get on the water will probably prefer taking a boat trip to see the historic lighthouse on Sheffield Island.

Great schools, safe streets, and an economy that works for everyone all make Norwalk a great place to live. Norwalk has the 4th lowest poverty level in Connecticut, sitting at 9.1%. And while the median household income in Norwalk is the 4th highest in the state at $107,616/year, homes are also the 2nd most expensive. In fact, the cost of living is nearly 20% higher in Norwalk than the Connecticut average, making it one of the priciest places to live in the state.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Public domain

$74,382 median income · $354,725 median home · #9 best place in Connecticut

Located in New Haven County, Connecticut

Median income -22% vs CT

$74,382

CT $96k

Median home value -19% vs CT

$354,725

CT $436k

Unemployment +30% vs CT

7.3%

CT 5.6%

What’s the best haven?

West Haven.

West Haven is home to 55,351 with a strong median income of 74,382. The presence of Long Island Sound offers public beaches elevating home prices to $354,725 and rent to $1,442. The University of New Haven bolsters education opportunities and an average 23 minute commute underscores the city’s convenience.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers

Source: Wikipedia User Milfordwoman | GFDL

$85,877 median income · $374,885 median home · #10 best place in Connecticut

Located in New Haven County, Connecticut

Median income -10% vs CT

$85,877

CT $96k

Median home value -14% vs CT

$374,885

CT $436k

Unemployment +62% vs CT

9.1%

CT 5.6%

At #10 on our list of best places to live in Connecticut, Ansonia is a Naugatuck Valley community of 19,033 that holds its own against much bigger names. Poverty here runs just 9.4%, the 5th lowest in the state. Median household income is $85,877 for a Connecticut neighborhood that costs a fair bit less than anything you’ll find on the coast.

The Midsummer Fantasy Renaissance Faire rolls into Ansonia every summer and draws crowds from across the region. It’s pretty fitting for one of the more underrated places to put down roots in Connecticut.

Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers