Greenwich versus Darien versus New Canaan

All have falling house prices. Connecticut's a financial mess, the generation that raised their kids there and commuted to NYC is aging out, taxes are too high and now largely non-deductible, and a lot of people are moving to Florida.

If you have to ask, they are not for you.

What about Westport?

New Canaan is my favorite - not a shoreline town so that is one disadvantage - but the village center is absolutely charming. Darien is a shore town, but the town center is the Boston Post Road so that diminishes it's attraction for me - although still charming. Greenwich is probably the snootiest - "the Avenue" has lots of great shops and restaurants. New Canaan and Greenwich in my opinion have the most charming in-town neighborhoods. Noroton Bay, part of Darien was once a charming enclave of small capes with easy access to the bay but they have slowly been replaced by 4 story mansions. I like Westport too - but still for my opinion, New Canaan has the easiest going vibe. Feels like more of a hometown.

New Canaan is so restricted.

Gay couples are accepted in all of the towns

New Canaan is very McMansionish.

Greenwich, though the richest town in CT actually has housing projects, blue collar and old "ethnic-American" neighborhoods. It is relatively more diverse than Darien and New Canaan

Greenwich is 90% white, 5% African American, 14% Hispanic (of either race) and 8% Asian

Darien is 96% white, .5% AA, 2% Hispanic and 2% Asian

New Canaan is 95% white, 1% AA, 2% Hispanic and 2% Asian

Also, Greenwich pop. 62k is about 3 times larger than Darien and New Canaan.

Where did MTM live?

Minneapolis

If you like a classic stone and ivy ambiance and are more of an introvert (except for attending a handful of annual social events with the same people for decades), it's Greenwich you want. New Canaan has more new builds, is mostly geared around young families. Darien is sportier, if you like clubs and social groups.

I think the Essex/Hadlyme region is more beautiful if you like a lost in time feel, like a pretty downtown but want to hide away a little. But the art deco touches in Greenwich are lovely, so long as the State doesn't muck-up managing the Merritt Parkway heritage, like it has everything else.

I heard Lamont is going to allow billboards on the Merritt if tolls don't go thru - an FU to the state

What is Middletown like? (the area around Wesleyan University)

R13 Nicely revamped old industrial town. Has an easily accessible, wide main street. I had some great Thai food there about a year ago, a right turn off Main street, heading in the direction of Wesleyan. "Thai Gardens" I think? Nice atmosphere. Close enough to the main drag but not on it. There's a big Cambodian, Thai and Tibetan community there, so that makes for some great food offerings.

Traffic is not bad but it's busy enough in the area to be interesting because it has a college town feel but it's bigger than your typical one. Reminds me a little of a mini-Boston.

If you are interested in moving to CT I have a condo to sell in Wilton. Lovely town, great schools!

Plus we know of a lovely place - OK, a run-down McMansion that needs work - in Waterbury that's STILL AVAILABLE!

R16 - do you mean Woodbury? Tom's listing?

Darien sucks.

Greenwich has slums now- way too many people to be considered exclusive overall, there are some very swish neighborhoods but somebthst are definitely not.

Cos cob/riverside/ old greenwich suckers that bought middle class houses for a million over real value then have tried to glam them up.

Darien & new canaan uber waspy - if you are the least bit exotic looking they will mistake you for the help. Seriously you will feel the stares. (Moby & topher grace are from Darien)

Westport more liberal very new yawk now. Weston tolerant of the lighter browns / asians as long as they have ample cash and dont make waves.

Rowayton is now a well heeled village with an independent streak, it is part of Norwalk though.

Wilton = white supremecist wanna bes.

Fairfield/southport would be my choice.

Middletown is verging on edgy closer to the north end of downtown, some nice houses but shopping in the area SUCKS. Decent restaurants, but not nearly as good as new haven, fairfield county w.hartford. You need to head to west Hartford/Farmington for decent shopping. Very good micro brew scene and housing is cheap!

R18 - you’re right about Alex Kelly hating Darien: he much preferred Switzerland where he ran off to while awaiting trial on rape charges. For folks not familiar with it, it’s a great story to google. His parents financially supported him on the sly for years while he evaded authorities and played ski bum. The cops couldn’t figure out where he’d gone but on a visit to his parents’ house on a “You're sure you don’t know where he is?” visit, to found pictures of them with the guy. He wound up serving ten years behind bars. While he waited for that trial to start, I saw him once at one of the town beaches wearing a house arrest ankle bracelet. He gave me the creeps.

R17 You are so right. Sorry - confusing my Connecticut cities and towns.

Westport was fine until they started letting in show people.

I still want to know what city Mary Tyler Moore lived in and died in. Bridgeport?

did she die in Skokie? She was always travelling.

Would Greenwich welcoming towards a black/biracial and white couple?

i'm from Darien too! it's pronounced "Darién". it's the whitiest piace in the world.

We only allowed Chloe in because she’s blonde. Otherwise, she’s just not like the rest of us.

We're Aryans from Darien.

Where does Martha live? You know that's the right place.

Martha used to live in Westport but she moved to Bedford NY. Too many NEW people.

R26 I wouldn't worry about living in Greenwich as a bi racial couple.

Diana Ross has a home in Greenwich.

R24 - She lived in Greenwich in the "back country" . Pretty sure she died in Greenwich Hospital. She is buried in Fairfield, CT at Oak Lawn Cemetery.

[quote]Would Greenwich welcoming towards a black/biracial and white couple? —Anonymous

if you're extremely wealthy, no prob

I dont know the area that well but the one real estate trend I see in fairfield county in general, is the larger older estates built before 1950 sit on the market a long long time and sell ofr way less than 10 years ago even, no matter how much updating. For whatever reason new money moving into that area wants new construction mcMansions.........really sad and probably somehow feeds into why the US is a decaying rotting fomer superpower.

R35 It's a minority opinion but I always find it sad when someone who can afford it chooses to build instead of restoring historic estates. You're worth post $1 Billion and you won't preserve a piece of local history? It's unromantic and shallow.

True everywhere. People prefer new build McMansions. As a gay man, I find them appalling.

CT is beautiful. But Fairfield County is just an expensive suburb for families. Some nice areas, but definitely a family culture. Litchfield County is more bucolic and quaint. The financial condition of CT and change in tax deductions for local and real estate taxes are hitting CT hard. Not a place I would invest. The Greenwich of myth is dead. Every proper estate has been cut up into McMansions.

I live in Newtown which is in Fairfield County, it is nicknamed "Little Greenwhich". We are all RICH

Isn’t Newtown where Sandy Hook was? Definitely not Greenwich.

[39] It is. It is considered a "little greenwhich" not as rich or as nice but comparable. It is 25 minutes from Greenwhich

Closer to an hour, R40. Also, learn how to spell Greenwich.

Well when this queen drives it is 25 minutes you fucking faggot

Newtown is not comparable to Greenwich. Sheesh. The shit on this thread. Why you all so fascinated by these has-been towns? It is true the coast from Sherwood all the way down to the Bronx is good for building houses on coastline because there is so much of it! Rich Connecticut has gone down the shitter. The Rhode Island Coast is grander. Also Maine.

Girls, girls...

When you learn how to spell Greenwich R40 you can call her a faggot but even though you can, you shouldn't.

It's not nice.

New Canaan has some truly amazing mid-century houses, a pleasant downtown and is still a fairly cultured community. Greenwich these days reminds me of Long Island - some beautiful parts but overrun with braying Republican blondes in SUVs.

There isn't the overall respect for history that you get equivalent communities in New York State. Bedford, Katonah, Tarrytown, even Bronxville and Rye all have more extensive historic districts and trade off their architecture to a far greater degree.

I'm feeling some definite self loathing vibes coming off THAT post R42, and do tell us of your riches! Though accuracy doesn't seem to be your forte.

[quote]Greenwich these days reminds me of Long Island - some beautiful parts but overrun with braying Republican blondes in SUVs.

not to dispute the plague of braying blondes in SUV's, but Clinton carried every precinct in Greewich.

all precincts in Darien and New Canaan also voted Clinton

Yeah - Greenwich has lost its cache. Too many mediocre sections and the good ones have been crammed full of McMansions. New Canaan is nicer.

[quote]Yeah - Greenwich has lost its cache.

Oh, DEAR!

I prefer Ridgefield or Southport

I would have preferred Greenwich. Oh no, they said. Try New Canaan, they said.

Do you want Jews or no Jews?

Bridgeport is gorgeous.

R54 LOL, is that a joke?

I like Kent, even though there are some creepy "Rosemary's Baby" types there (though not so bad as Newtown). It's pretty, estates are mostly historical and isolated and it has beautiful views from nearly every corner. Great for hikers. Always makes me think of the setting of "Sunrise" (1927) for some reason, maybe because of the waterside parts. I know those locations were in upstate California but if you go to Kent, you'll know what I mean.

Not suitable for daily commutes, more for weekend/vacation/retirement but if you work from home and go into the city once a week, not so bad.

Just be prepared, the State is a money pit.

The entire NY metro area is dead - high taxes, no SALT deductions, high labor costs are driving jobs to TX, TN, FL, and UT, etc. Even higher end roles in law and finance are moving. Unprecedented. Home prices in Westchester and Fairfield are falling, not enough new entrants moving in to replace the ones leaving. Those “entrants” are taking jobs in Dallas and Charlotte. I wouldn’t buy in NY/CT/NJ, hate to say it cause I living here, but the jobs are moving elsewhere.

Oh there's a lot of entrants in the metro area LOL

Lots of CT people have moved to FL and NC.

How do you feel about Mountebank?

[quote]Bridgeport is gorgeous.

Actually, some of Bridgeport is quite attractive

Agree R58. The jobs are being created down South and out West. I’ve lived in NYC for 30 years, but feel the tide has turned. Global money is what’s keeping NYC thriving - but the working stiff suburbs are starting to slide.

The whole state sucks. It started dying when Ella died.

The house prices are insane. Just fucking nuts for what you actually get. No wonder so many people are not bothering with CT anymore.

People don't want to live in suburbs anymore.

Why is that, R66?

[quote] I live in Newtown which is in Fairfield County, it is nicknamed "Little Greenwhich". We are all RICH

When the media were all in Newtown for Sandy Hook, all I saw were a bunch of average (but overpriced) tract homes. The same damn homes you see in every suburb in America. Yes, the people have money, but they are spending it to live in average looking homes that can be bought in almost any other suburb for 50% less

To quote Charlie Sheen, WINNING!

I’m assuming the Newtown is known as “Little Greenwich” was a joke. It’s the least like Greenwich suburb in Fairfield. Suburban McMansions - little or no beauty. Lots of nice towns in Fairfield - Newtown is not one of them.

I remember Ridgefield being very nice — what’s that like these days?

R63 Isn't that a prelude, though, for the rich stiff's neighborhoods to start sliding, too?

Connecticut has the lowest economic outlook in the country. That's just unbelievable to someone who grew up in Connecticut. I'm borderline elder gay, maybe more border than line, but anyway, when I was a kid if you wanted a job in Connecticut you could start looking at 8AM and have one by 5PM. Good jobs. I remember not even reading the classifieds. You drove around and walked into businesses and asked if they were hiring.

R72 Highest taxes = Lowest Economic Outlook and taxpayers MUST ask: "What is going on there?! Where did the money go?!"

Connecticut today reminds me of a hapless descendant of a legacy family who was handed a mountain of advantage and assets, who manages to completely decimate centuries worth of family reputation and fortune in one generation.

It's sandwiched between major, metropolitan regions. It has one of the oldest Ivy League schools in the nation. It's had generations of the wealthiest families in the nation building it up since the 1600's. Lots of historical character, lush, green and pretty. Has Long Island Sound as a buffer to open sea, while still boasting a State long coastline. Manageable Winters; comfortable Summers.

Connecticut was impossible to mess-up but someone did it. Congratulations to that idiot. There's no reason why CT should be failing but incompetence. You can grow food everywhere in the state. It's kind of rocky but gets lots of rain and sunshine. There's a good road system. There was a lot of investment in school infrastructure across the state over the past, three decades. It has good state universities and trade schools. Culturally speaking, most locals aren't busybodies and will leave you alone to go about your business.

Hopefully Lamont won't push forward with the tolls and paving over CT's green spaces. CT politicians claim to be big Greenies but they'd rather let developers just pave over old farmland to please donors than refurbish the State's industrial towns (the ones the snobs in The State Capital's marble halls look down their noses at, yet aren't too proud to loot the tax boxes of).

They're so hypocritical. It's disappointing to see State recognized historical sites and old houses in disrepair, too. CT collects enough taxes to keep the place pretty. They never got around the highway beautification, which is actually a big deal for a commuter/leisure state. It makes you wonder where all the money went.

My great grandfather made a fortune in Bridgeport and built a big stone house in Black Rock, which is still a pleasant place and still has a decent yacht club.

What's also happening is that CT is finding so many ways to pickpocket Nutmeggers while upping the cost of living, that it's mostly only elderly people left behind. They own their homes but many can't afford to move to places with a lower cost of living because all their wealth is tied up in their home and no one else can afford to buy and move there.

The large swath of elderly people in CT are not strong enough to maintain their homes but can't afford to pay others to do it. They can't even afford to pay companies that hire illegal aliens because the big-hearted activists in Hartford demand that these workers get all the benefits of people not working under the table, so there isn't really a big difference in price between those who use illegal alien labor and those who don't. However, towns still have to carry all the costs and subsidize the living expenses of people in the US illegally, trying to live in the most expensive state in the nation for nothing, at no cost to them. For a family of seven, that can be a Connecticut and US taxpayer paid cost of almost $100,000 a year per family.

The young generations have moved away because they can't afford to raise families in the state, so the elderly are stuck having to just watch the paint peel on their homes. You'll see lots of historical homes that need a paint job and landscaping overhaul in CT.

R74 Bureaucrats rely on the steadfastness of those who have ancestral ties to the state. To everyone else, it looks like the most absurdly run state they've ever seen. It's managed so badly, it could almost be considered comedy. Taxpayer money just self destructs before your very eyes.

All the same uppity snobby racist crap in all three places. I am Puerto Rican and get called black all the time here. Never happened ever in my life anywhere but in the south and here. I moved here 7 years ago. I have a friend who grew up in Trumbull with curly dark hair. She's greek and Italian. She told me kids thought she was black for a little bit growing up. Ridiculous. Yes, Bridgeport is THE ghetto.

Ridgefield is a lovely town.

R75 I'm surprised I haven't gotten the "You're SO MEAN" tirades yet, pointing out the unfortunate reality of being stuck fully supporting a large population of people in the US illegally. In a state where a two income household bringing in $200,000/year is just solid Middle Class, it's causing problems. It's like footing the bill for someone're rental car but they pick out the Maserati instead of the Ford focus.

R77 Hot Puerto Rican guys IS one of the pluses of Connecticut. But like I wrote, the place is full of untapped potential.

R79 Hot puerto rican guys are the best thing about CT. But not nearly enough of them and they're all in Norwalk. Also, I don't think there are any gay men here. If so, severely closeted. I got on grindr and it was a ghost town. They are very image conscious here. It drives me insane. "Hanging with so and so will not look good for you." LOTS of gossip about any little thing deemed low class. I don't care what people think and this place messes with my head. I find myself starting to care. That was never me.

R80 CT IS the skinniest state, so apparently exercise bulimia is the only other thing it has going for it.

CT is a classic example of how corporate welfare works. They gave thousands in tax breaks to lure corporations to CT. When the tax breaks ran out, they left and CT has nothing to show for it.

Some beautiful towns especially in Litchfield County. But an economic disaster. The upside is the prices for weekend houses in CT has gone down. Can get a house very cheap by NY standards - and much prettier towns than upstate NY, Hudson, et al

This thread depresses me.

^^^I feel the same. I pray we both GET OUT. haha.

When I was kid there were tobacco fields in CT. Still there?

Old people, illegals, and a dwindling amount of rich people they thought would keep paying for it forever. Who would start a business in Connecticut? A bodega or taco joint in New Britain maybe but that's about it.

Yeah when I was a kid I worked tobacco. Now it's all empty or trying to be sold McMansions where the tobacco grew.

Lots of the rich people fled to other states, many to FL.

Madison.

How's Lakeville these days? It used to be so nice when I visited my grandpa 30+ yesrs ago.

Venezuela has better roads.

R77, you poor brown "snowflake" wannabe,lol!!!! Nobody thinks you are anything other than you are: a culturally Hispanic person with African DNA as part of your racial makeup. Go to certain parts of Miami, if you want to 'pass'. Avoid the Cuban areas though. Just a thought...

Torrington is posh

Paul Simon and Edie are selling their New Canaan estate if you're interested

Torrington is White Trash Central.

Hartford is colored trash central.

Very informative post, R73. Thanks for that.

Connecticut’s government spending outpaced the state’s gross domestic product by a wide margin since 1990, according to a review of past figures compiled at U.S. Government Spending, an online database of state and federal spending.

In 1990, just before the implementation of the state income tax, Connecticut’s total spending topped $8 billion for the year, which amounted to $2,436 for each of Connecticut’s 3.2 million residents at the time. The state’s GDP was $100.1 billion per year.

In 2017, Connecticut’s total spending amounted to $27.43 billion, or $7,687 per resident, and the state’s GDP was $271.4 billion.

Controlling for inflation, Connecticut’s state spending grew 87 percent since 1990, whereas the GDP which supports the state grew a mere 48 percent. The state’s population only grew by 300,000 residents during that 27 year period.

[quote]the most expensive state in the nation

Is it really? No wonder I’m always broke.

I have come to the conclusion you have to be STUPID and conniving to be a politician - any politician, Dem or Rep. The giveaways in CT make my blood boil. People get free housing, food, child care assistance and phones. And they know how to work the system. A friend employs a couple of women part-time at $20 and hour and has offered them more hours - NOPE - it will screw up their state benefits. And, they won't marry their current boyfriend who is the father of ONE of their children because that will screw up the state bennies. Connecticut = Venezuela. F'ing Governor Lowell Weicker, a Pfizer trust fund baby pushed thru the CT Income Tax which at the time went from taxing non-earned income from 20% to 3%. He should be in prison if the f'er is still alive. That was the beginning of the end.

R92 haha. No, actually people have mistaken me for Brazilian, Greek, Italian, Venezuelan or just a regular white person all my life until I moved to CT and visited the South. I'm not trying to pass nor do I need to. Definitely not a wannabe. I don't know where you got that. Like I said and someone upthread, if you are the least bit exotic looking in CT then you get mistaken for the help. Only in racist parts of America am I considered black. What in the hell are you talking about? And I wouldn't be caught dead in trashy Miami. You sound like a jealous black person because I can fit in and you never will. Even though I dont care about fitting in with white people. I've encountered your ilk before. I love being latino and would prefer to hang with them everyday all day.

Lakeville, Sharon, all of Litchfield really (except Torrington) is beautiful. And getting cheaper. But don’t expect to be able to sell easily. I wish I had invested in NYC instead of CT - but CT was really beautiful and I miss it. Unfortunately CT is headed for bankruptcy - or at least very dire times with taxes going through the roof.

I Ike Washington Depot, the area is lovely and peaceful.

r100 it's disgraceful. These people have no shame about being on benefits for life.

Old thread I know but I was always curious that if you work in Manhattan you have lots of options to live in the suburbs like NJ, Long Island, northern NYC suburbs and CT, as an outsider is there too much difference between those places ? Just curious.

We have acquaintances who are Jewish; moved to New Canaan from Manhattan and stayed for a year before moving back. I never did get the full story.

Yeah NYC has a huge variety of suburbs - just like the city has a huge variety of neighborhoods. There are nice high end areas in NJ, Long Island, Westchester and Rockland counties as well as CT. But each sector has its own type of wealth that it attracts. CT is definitely the WASP-ophiles. LI is now the ethnics and minorities. NJ is Brooklyn hipsters and ethnics. Rockland is blue collar rich. Westchester is probably as close as it comes to classic NYC rich.

CT is being run into the ground by public sector unions, as are most deep-blue states. And before you fraus start going insane, take a hard objective look. I’m all for progressive taxation, good infrastructure, good public education, and social support systems, but overpaid public employees drive up the cost of these things excessively. Even FDR warned about them for Gods sake.

It’s too late to stop R108. The issue is the pensions promised 30-40 years ago which will require payments for another 30-40.

New Preston’d Gay Pride event was yesterday. Maybe 150 Litchfield County gays and a few allies. Mostly NYC weekenders.

I always thought it was lame that there was no gay bar in all of Litchfield County. Part of the reason I left. It was beautiful and relaxing to be in the country. But after a while, it became too isolating with absolutely nowhere to go. There was a place in Waterbury that was open late Friday and Saturday - but that’s closed.

I don’t understand why the scene in Hudson couldn’t be developed in Litchfield County. So much prettier - it really should be the gay country area not that ghetto of Hudson.

I am following the Jennifer Dulos case on Websleuths. She lived in New Canaan. This is helpful fill in info, allowing me a feel for the area.

There are so many loose ends in the Dulos case and none of them pass the smell test, including the recent attachment of Norm Pattis to the case. Norm was born in a shady place and has stayed true to his roots. Even though he's in Rikers, in "supervised," mark my words this case will eventually connect back to MANAFORT