The 10 Best Small Towns In Connecticut For 2025


The best small towns in Connecticut are Weatogue and Wilton Center for 2025 based on Saturday Night Science.

You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Connecticut. Best sururbs in Connecticut. Best counties in Connecticut.

Etc., etc., etc.

But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Constitution State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.

Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Connecticut based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.

We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Connecticut ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In Connecticut For 2025

  1. Weatogue
  2. Wilton Center
  3. Noank
  4. Pemberwick
  5. Madison Center
  6. Mystic
  7. West Simsbury
  8. Woodmont
  9. North Granby
  10. Niantic
  11. Old Saybrook Center
  12. Glenville
  13. Essex Village
  14. Ne
  15. Canton Valley

Best Small Towns To Live In Connecticut Map

What’s the best small town in Connecticut? Weatogue is the best small town in Connecticut based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Weatogue, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.

But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.

For more reading on the Constitution State check out:

The 15 Best Small Towns In Connecticut For 2025

1. Weatogue

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 2,851
Median Income: $174,286 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $414,100 (17th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.6%

2. Wilton Center

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 1,730
Median Income: $116,081 (17th Best)
Median Home Value: $493,400 (10th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.2%

3. Noank

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 1,617
Median Income: $114,479 (18th Best)
Median Home Value: $571,900 (8th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.1%

4. Pemberwick

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 3,455
Median Income: $134,375 (11th Best)
Median Home Value: $892,600 (3rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.8%

5. Madison Center

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,818
Median Income: $190,769 (3rd Best)
Median Home Value: $816,800 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7%

6. Mystic

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 4,441
Median Income: $146,042 (8th Best)
Median Home Value: $493,200 (11th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%

7. West Simsbury

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,878
Median Income: $191,042 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $468,400 (12th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.0%

8. Woodmont

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 1,591
Median Income: $89,375 (32nd Best)
Median Home Value: $452,200 (15th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.6%

9. North Granby

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,510
Median Income: $114,167 (19th Best)
Median Home Value: $389,200 (21st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

10. Niantic

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,302
Median Income: $82,604 (39th Best)
Median Home Value: $370,200 (26th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.4%

11. Old Saybrook Center

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,063
Median Income: $85,466 (37th Best)
Median Home Value: $400,600 (19th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

12. Glenville

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 2,663
Median Income: $211,786 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $1,091,700 (1st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 8.4%

13. Essex Village

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 2,722
Median Income: $110,469 (20th Best)
Median Home Value: $744,100 (5th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.6%

14. Ne

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,968
Median Income: $161,000 (6th Best)
Median Home Value: $465,400 (13th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.4%

15. Canton Valley

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,364
Median Income: $88,028 (36th Best)
Median Home Value: $354,900 (29th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 1.1%

Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Connecticut

We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Connecticut possible.

Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2019-2023 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Lowest Unemployment Rates
  • Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
  • Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
  • Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
  • Commute Times (Lower is better)

We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 65 to be exact.

We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 65, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Connecticut. Top of that list — Weatogue.

This is our tenth time ranking the best small places to live in Connecticut.

Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones

We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in Connecticut are the best in which to live.

And who can argue with that?

The best small towns in Connecticut are Weatogue, Wilton Center, Noank, Pemberwick, Madison Center, Mystic, West Simsbury, Woodmont, North Granby, and Niantic.

If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Connecticut:

  1. Plainfield Village
  2. North Grosvenor Dale
  3. Canaan

For more Connecticut reading, check out:

Best Small Towns In Connecticut

Rank City Population Median Income Median Home Value Unemployment Rate
1 Weatogue, CT 2,851 $174,286 0.6%
2 Wilton Center, CT 1,730 $116,081 2.2%
3 Noank, CT 1,617 $114,479 0.1%
4 Pemberwick, CT 3,455 $134,375 3.8%
5 Madison Center, CT 1,818 $190,769 2.7%
6 Mystic, CT 4,441 $146,042 4.5%
7 West Simsbury, CT 2,878 $191,042 1.0%
8 Woodmont, CT 1,591 $89,375 2.6%
9 North Granby, CT 1,510 $114,167 0.0%
10 Niantic, CT 3,302 $82,604 1.4%
11 Old Saybrook Center, CT 2,063 $85,466 0.0%
12 Glenville, CT 2,663 $211,786 8.4%
13 Essex Village, CT 2,722 $110,469 0.6%
14 Ne, CT 1,968 $161,000 3.4%
15 Canton Valley, CT 1,364 $88,028 1.1%
16 Litchfield, CT 1,274 $107,024 4.6%
17 Southport, CT 1,529 $156,750 4.5%
18 Guilford Center, CT 2,272 $80,000 1.5%
19 Georgetown, CT 1,751 $163,158 9.5%
20 Thomaston, CT 2,073 $81,667 4.0%
21 Crystal Lake, CT 1,963 $142,642 0.0%
22 Brooklyn, CT 1,045 $88,750 0.0%
23 Higganum, CT 1,549 $134,750 0.0%
24 East Hampton, CT 3,159 $120,875 2.9%
25 Saybrook Manor, CT 1,404 $120,208 4.3%
26 Collinsville, CT 4,001 $104,808 2.5%
27 Lake Pocotopaug, CT 4,715 $108,430 3.4%
28 Salmon Brook, CT 2,229 $77,500 1.8%
29 South Coventry, CT 1,509 $103,466 2.4%
30 Durham, CT 3,508 $126,406 4.5%
31 Deep River Center, CT 2,636 $74,000 1.6%
32 Old Mystic, CT 3,189 $119,444 4.5%
33 Westbrook Center, CT 2,529 $71,132 2.3%
34 South Woodstock, CT 1,294 $88,182 6.4%
35 Broad Brook, CT 3,550 $96,484 3.6%
36 Somers, CT 2,081 $67,203 0.8%
37 Moosup, CT 3,218 $75,469 0.0%
38 Tariffville, CT 1,607 $103,125 14.3%
39 Wauregan, CT 1,209 $90,625 2.4%
40 Watertown, CT 4,215 $98,003 6.0%
41 New Hartford Center, CT 1,691 $78,487 3.7%
42 Heritage Village, CT 4,517 $53,266 4.0%
43 Clinton, CT 3,547 $83,333 8.0%
44 Woodbury Center, CT 1,491 $130,180 11.1%
45 Moodus, CT 1,815 $88,482 0.0%
46 Bethlehem Village, CT 2,275 $107,838 2.1%
47 Colchester, CT 4,624 $79,685 3.4%
48 Coventry Lake, CT 2,358 $73,846 1.2%
49 New Preston, CT 1,121 $60,526 7.3%
50 Quinebaug, CT 1,163 $81,458 12.6%
51 Waterford, CT 3,496 $75,968 7.8%
52 Oxoboxo River, CT 2,912 $78,415 1.9%
53 Chester Center, CT 1,876 $73,542 5.1%
54 East Brooklyn, CT 2,008 $62,125 6.6%
55 Northwest Harwinton, CT 3,126 $97,977 4.7%
56 Blue Hills, CT 1,989 $62,672 5.0%
57 Baltic, CT 1,266 $89,907 4.8%
58 Stafford Springs, CT 4,801 $70,967 6.1%
59 Jewett City, CT 3,412 $55,590 6.9%
60 South Windham, CT 1,391 $72,917 3.2%
61 Poquonock Bridge, CT 1,108 $42,907 20.1%
62 Danielson, CT 4,185 $71,672 14.1%
63 Canaan, CT 1,297 $31,986 12.0%
64 North Grosvenor Dale, CT 1,097 $80,925 14.9%
65 Plainfield Village, CT 2,260 $50,703 9.6%
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.