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Top 10 neighborhoods to raise a young family in Connecticut

SIMSBURY–There are lots of factors to take into account when deciding where to settle down with your family. NerdWallet, a financial assistance firm, crea...
simsbury flower bridge

SIMSBURY–There are lots of factors to take into account when deciding where to settle down with your family.

NerdWallet, a financial assistance firm, created a list of the best cities and towns to live in with a young family in Connecticut. There were 49 neighborhoods included on the list, with Simsbury taking the top spot and the bottom five going to Bridgeport, Rockville, New Haven, Stamford, and lastly Hartford.

Here is a round-up of the top 10 best towns and cities for young families:

  1. Simsbury: The 345-year-old town has one of the best school districts in the state and is part of the beautiful Farmington Valley. Also, with an average of 22 percent of monthly income going towards homeownership–the lowest of the top 10–it is relatively affordable for what it offers.
  2. Trumbull: While Trumbull may have the most expensive housing of any of the areas in the top 10, it also has one of the top school districts. And it must be quite desirable for young families, since 35 percent of households have at least one child under the age of 18–the biggest percentage of any town in the top 10.
  3. Kensington: This small section of Berlin has a lot of assets, but one of the biggest hasn’t even come to fruition yet. Berlin’s train station will be one the New Haven-Springfield commuter line set to launch in 2016, allowing families to easily commute to work.
  4. Glastonbury: While Glastonbury may have always been a desireable place to live, it is now more so than ever. Since 1999, the median income in town has jumped 85 percent, thanks in part to the series of Fortune 500 companies that have popped up in the area. The schools are also some of the best in the state.
  5. Orange: Another town with top-notch schools, Orange received a rating of 9 on the GreatSchools index, like Simsbury, Trumbull, Kensington and Glastonbury. And families are taking advantage; three out of 10 families have children under the age of 18.
  6. Wethersfield: The second oldest town in Connecticut couldn’t be left off the list. The town’s economy is booming, and subsequently the median family income has leaped 89 percent since 1999–the biggest jump of any town in the top 10. Also, the number of young families in town has increased by 10 percent since 2000, showing its desirability as a place to raise kids.
  7. Newington: One of the biggest appeals of Newington is that it is a nice neighborhood with tons of beautiful natural wonders–including a 16-foot natural waterfall in Mill Pond Park–and yet the cost of living isn’t overly expensive, allowing for families to grow.
  8. Winsted: The “Gateway to the Berkshire Mountains” takes up a small part of Winchester, and it is an exciting place to live. With an ongoing downtown renovation project, the town is becoming more enticing by the day!
  9. Portland: This quaint city is the smallest in top 10, with only 5,628, residents, but it has a rich history. In the 1800s Portland was one of the top brownstone suppliers in the U.S., and the quarries downtown offer unparalleled views into the past.
  10. North Haven: This college town is home to Qunnipiac’s graduate school, as well as tons of outdoor activities. It is also just a few minutes from downtown New Haven, which is booming with restaurants and culture in recent years.

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