Top Cities in Connecticut for Commuters
While many people who live in the state of New York commute to NYC, you may be surprised to learn that plenty of folks from Connecticut work in the Big Apple as well. Once you think about it a little, it’s not as big of a surprise. After all, plenty of Connecticut towns are more affordable than NYC and provide a decent standard of living, but they’re still close enough to NYC to make commuting viable. It’s the classic American dream — a great suburban life with a promising urban career. Not all Connecticut cities are equally great options if you plan to commute. So, we’ll help you by examining the top cities in Connecticut for commuters — and by explaining the criteria we used to pick them! Read on to make an informed choice if you want to buy a home in Connecticut and live in New York.
Why Should You Commute From Connecticut?
There are plenty of reasons to consider living in Connecticut, as opposed to living in NYC or another nearby urban center.
Lower Expenses
For starters, you can live more comfortably in Connecticut when it comes to living expenses. All costs are lower there compared to New York. Naturally, the most important cost is housing expenses.
On average, homes cost at least 30% less in most Connecticut cities than in New York state. The difference becomes even higher when you compare Connecticut home prices to housing costs in New York City proper, where rents and home prices have skyrocketed for years.
Connecticut homes have also become more expensive since the pandemic started. At that time, the rise of remote work opened the door for living in areas that would otherwise be considered too far from NYC to sustain a career.
In the subsequent years, Connecticut home prices have remained strong due to a low housing inventory. Most decent houses don’t stay on the market very long. But even so, you can save a lot by hiring professionals like Collegian Movers to relocate to Connecticut — and simply commuting from there or working remotely.
You should note that real estate taxes in Connecticut are higher than in NYC. However, this shouldn’t detract you from considering some of the top cities in Connecticut for commuters. While NYC property taxes aren’t high, the actual home price is steep enough to cancel out the difference. In the end, buying a home in Connecticut is still cheaper.
Great Education Options
When you decide to move somewhere new, the local school system is always an important thing to consider. Even if you don’t have school-age children or even a family right now, you never know what’s around the corner. In a few years, you might send a child to a local school — and you don’t want to move again to ensure they have the best possible education.
These are things you should think of in advance when moving. So, how does Connecticut fare in that regard?
When you consider factors like the number of teachers per student, academic performance, incidents of bullying, etc., Connecticut is one of the best-placed states in the country. While your experience may vary depending on your specific location, Connecticut schools test slightly higher than New York State.
According to the research above, Connecticut ranks third on a national level — ahead of New York and behind Massachusetts. The biggest advantages are Connecticut’s high teacher-student ratio and solid ACT scores.
Of course, New York is nothing to sneeze at — with great salaries for public school staff and well-stocked public libraries.
More Spacious Living
More affordable housing also means getting more bags for your buck with Connecticut. If you buy a house, you’ll probably get a private, bright yard with much more outdoor space.
Plus, even if we disregard your immediate vicinity — the state offers more great beaches, parks, and other outdoor amenities than New York City. If you appreciate a decent hiking trail, Connecticut is definitely a better choice than NYC.
So, with this in mind, what are the top cities in Connecticut for commuters? Let’s explore our favorites.
Bridgeport, CT
As one of the largest cities in Connecticut, Bridgeport is an excellent place to live — but perhaps not the most obvious choice for commuting to NYC. Still, many people make that trip daily because of the great living standards in Bridgeport and the awesome career opportunities in NYC.
If you’re considering doing the same yourself, know that the express trains on that route take around an hour and twenty minutes. When we consider two ways, this is a daily commute of over two hours. So, it’s not short, but not undoable either.
Suppose you want somewhere decent to park your car before hopping on the train. In that case, the Total Mortgage Arena in Bridgeport is probably a great bet — especially since it offers a relatively cheap parking garage.
Besides decent commute options, Bridgeport also has an energetic downtown area — though probably not as lively as the artsy, gentrified areas of NYC. Still, plenty of entertainment can be found once you hire a Bridgeport-based moving team and relocate there.
Greenwich, CT
You won’t find many lists of the top cities in Connecticut for commuters without Greenwich. First of all, we’re talking about one of the most prosperous small towns in the whole country. And yes, its ease of access and commuting to New York City is a huge part of its appeal.
Usually, the daily commute to NYC never takes more than an hour — and it can even be even quicker, depending on your location. The folks from Riverside and Cos Sob usually reach the Big Apple in around 40 minutes.
Conclusion
In summary, looking for one of the top cities in Connecticut for commuters is definitely a great idea. If you like having the career options the Big Apple offers, you don’t necessarily have to live and raise a family there. With places like Bridgeport or Greenwich, you can have the best of both worlds.
