Looking to spend a quiet retirement in the Constitution State?
Don’t move just anywhere until you’ve consulted our list of the best places to retire in Connecticut.
Why is Connecticut a great place to retire? Well, CT has been featured in the top ten of our lists of overall best, safest, and best family states in the country. On the flip side, it’s a tad expensive living in Connecticut, so make sure that 401k is looking strong before making any big decisions.
But you get what you pay for, because Connecticut has one of the most enviable autumns in the country. You’ll be complaining about the leaf-peepers from New York like a local in no time.
Pack up your hiking boots, push the kayak into the Connecticut River, and relax, because we’re visiting the best places to retire in Connecticut.
$1,394 median rent · $81,205 median income · #14 cheapest rent in Connecticut
Located in
Hartford County, Connecticut
Windsor Locks is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, its population was 12,498. It is the site of Bradley International Airport, which serves the Greater Hartford-Springfield region and occupies approximately 1/3 of the town. Windsor Locks is also the site of the New England Air Museum.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,063 median rent · $45,962 median income · #1 cheapest rent in Connecticut
Located in
Windham County, Connecticut
Willimantic is a census-designated place, former city and borough, and special-services district. It is located in the town of Windham in Windham County, Connecticut. The population was 17,737 at the 2010 census. It is home to Eastern Connecticut State University and the Windham Textile and History Museum. Willimantic was incorporated as a city in 1893; the city was superseded in 1983 by the Willimantic Special Services District/Willimantic CDP. It is also the birthplace of former U.S. Senator Christopher Dodd of Connecticut.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,169 median rent · $70,856 median income · #2 cheapest rent in Connecticut
Located in
Litchfield County, Connecticut
Torrington is the largest city in Litchfield County, Connecticut and the Litchfield Hills region. It is also the core city of the largest micropolitan area in the United States. The city population was 36,383 according to the 2010 census.
Data | Movers
$1,370 median rent · $126,806 median income · #12 cheapest rent in Connecticut
Located in
Hartford County, Connecticut
Wethersfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located immediately south of Hartford along the Connecticut River. Its population was 26,668 in the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,338 median rent · $79,076 median income · #9 cheapest rent in Connecticut
Located in
Hartford County, Connecticut
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,225 median rent · $70,778 median income · #4 cheapest rent in Connecticut
Located in
Hartford County, Connecticut
East Hartford is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 51,252 at the 2010 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,446 median rent · $79,438 median income · #16 cheapest rent in Connecticut
Located in
Middlesex County, Connecticut
Middletown is a city located in Middlesex County, Connecticut, along the Connecticut River, in the central part of the state, 16 miles south of Hartford. In 1650, it was incorporated as a town under its original Indian name, Mattabeseck. It received its present name in 1653. Middletown was included within Hartford County upon its creation on May 10, 1666. In 1784, the central settlement was incorporated as a city distinct from the town. Both were included within newly formed Middlesex County in May 1785. In 1923, the City of Middletown was consolidated with the Town, making the city limits of the city quite extensive.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,253 median rent · $65,024 median income · #6 cheapest rent in Connecticut
Located in
New London County, Connecticut
Norwich, known as ‘The Rose of New England’, is a city in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 40,493 at the 2010 United States Census. Three rivers, the Yantic, the Shetucket, and the Quinebaug, flow into the city and form its harbor, from which the Thames River flows south to Long Island Sound.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,269 median rent · $46,411 median income · #7 cheapest rent in Connecticut
Located in
Hartford County, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford’s population was 124,775, making it Connecticut’s third-largest city after the coastal cities of Bridgeport and New Haven. Census Bureau estimates since then have indicated Hartford’s fall to fourth place statewide, as a result of sustained population growth in the coastal city of Stamford.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
$1,656 median rent · $90,848 median income · #23 cheapest rent in Connecticut
Located in
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Bethel is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States, about 69 miles from New York City. Its population was 18,584 at the 2010 census. The town center is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place. The core area of the town center has also been designated as a historic district.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Connecticut’s statewide median.
Connecticut statewide median: $95,781
Connecticut statewide median: $436,407
On the map
Where to retire in Connecticut
Saturday Night Science
Methodology: How We Determined The Best Places To Retire In the Constitution State for 2026
To create our ranking of the best places in Connecticut to retire, we used Saturday Night Science. We analyzed Census data to find all places in the Constitution State — 142 cities and towns.
We then narrowed it down to places with at least 11,000 people that weren’t townships. This left us with 32 places from across the state.
For these 32, we looked at the following criteria taken from the Census, the FBI’s Crime Report, National Weather Service, and OpenFlights:
- Low cost of living as measured by rent
- Low crime
- Things to do (Museums, Colleges, and Libraries in town)
- Nice weather
- Distance to the closest international airport
- Other retirees (High median age)
We then ranked each of these places for each criterion from one to 32, with the lowest number being the best.
Finally, we took the average rank across these criteria. The place, in this case Windsor Locks, with the lowest average rank, was crowned the best of the best, a place for you to start your second career.
The report has been updated for 2026. This list reflects our eleventh time ranking the best places to retire in Connecticut.
The full plate
Best Places To Retire In Connecticut
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Retire Score | Population | Median Income | Average Home Prices | Median Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Windsor Locks | 7.60 | 12,579 | $81,205 | $327,845 | $1,394 |
| 2 | Willimantic | 10.30 | 18,096 | $45,962 | $266,600 | $1,063 |
| 3 | Torrington | 10.40 | 35,547 | $70,856 | $295,024 | $1,169 |
| 4 | Wethersfield | 10.40 | 27,250 | $126,806 | $424,098 | $1,370 |
| 5 | Bristol | 11.40 | 61,462 | $79,076 | $339,024 | $1,338 |
| 6 | East Hartford | 12.10 | 50,918 | $70,778 | $300,292 | $1,225 |
| 7 | Middletown | 12.70 | 47,958 | $79,438 | $354,795 | $1,446 |
| 8 | Norwich | 13.90 | 39,973 | $65,024 | $293,052 | $1,253 |
| 9 | Hartford | 14.20 | 121,127 | $46,411 | $198,965 | $1,269 |
| 10 | Bethel | 14.40 | 11,404 | $90,848 | $554,248 | $1,656 |
| 11 | Newington | 14.60 | 30,896 | $102,884 | $369,180 | $1,524 |
| 12 | West Hartford | 15.10 | 63,620 | $129,890 | $487,818 | $1,756 |
| 13 | Ansonia | 16.20 | 19,033 | $85,877 | $374,885 | $1,476 |
| 14 | Greenwich | 16.40 | 14,792 | $134,914 | $2,265,962 | $2,082 |
| 15 | New Britain | 16.50 | 74,223 | $58,613 | $298,511 | $1,253 |
| 16 | Naugatuck | 16.50 | 31,800 | $96,324 | $346,062 | $1,369 |
| 17 | Shelton | 17.00 | 41,889 | $108,185 | $549,374 | $1,741 |
| 18 | Manchester | 17.20 | 36,759 | $74,267 | $323,532 | $1,384 |
| 19 | New London | 17.60 | 27,625 | $59,098 | $312,695 | $1,340 |
| 20 | Meriden | 17.90 | 60,545 | $71,253 | $315,833 | $1,294 |
| 21 | Derby | 18.00 | 12,487 | $79,500 | $336,765 | $1,452 |
| 22 | East Haven | 18.10 | 27,806 | $94,628 | $353,436 | $1,528 |
| 23 | North Haven | 19.70 | 24,336 | $132,689 | $460,566 | $1,720 |
| 24 | West Haven | 19.80 | 55,351 | $74,382 | $354,725 | $1,442 |
| 25 | Waterbury | 19.90 | 114,869 | $51,886 | $276,344 | $1,225 |
| 26 | Danbury | 20.10 | 87,263 | $83,393 | $478,979 | $1,846 |
| 27 | Stamford | 20.40 | 137,144 | $111,586 | $704,417 | $2,276 |
| 28 | Norwalk | 20.40 | 92,187 | $107,616 | $653,113 | $2,073 |
| 29 | Orange | 20.60 | 14,315 | $142,325 | $619,525 | $2,172 |
| 30 | New Haven | 22.60 | 134,349 | $56,851 | $326,440 | $1,488 |
| 31 | Milford | 22.60 | 51,023 | $111,201 | $493,542 | $1,882 |
| 32 | Bridgeport | 23.40 | 149,153 | $58,685 | $355,127 | $1,450 |
Source: U.S. Census ACS 2020-2024, FBI UCR, OpenFlights. 32 cities with more than 11,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: Maybe You’re Not Ready To Retire In Connecticut Yet…
So there you have it, the best place to retire in Connecticut goes to Windsor Locks.
The best places to retire in Connecticut are Windsor Locks, Willimantic, Torrington, Wethersfield, Bristol, East Hartford, Middletown, Norwich, Hartford, and Bethel.
If you’re not ready to hang up your office apparel yet, then these places might be up your alley.
