Possible Move to Trumbull/Shelton area of Connecticut. Would welcome advise on places to live.

We are considering a job relocation to the Trumbull/Shelton area of CT and would really welcome information from anyone who has lived up that way.  While the school system is important it is not crucial as all are in college or beyond in our household. We are looking for a small town atmosphere similar to Maplewood/Basking Ridge/Madison but no more than a 50 minute commute.  

Not much to recommend, but keep this in mind when looking.

http://ctmirror.org/2016/01/04/massive-rail-plan-leaves-connecticut-hopeful-but-mystified/

Thanks Dave, interesting article. While the train is a secondary factor at this point it is good information to add to our decision.

Anyone?

We knew people in Monroe, which is very nice, but certainly more in an exurban Basking Ridge way than like Maplewood, or even Madison. I think real estate people everywhere exaggerate the commute, but I'm not sure how anyone could get to the city in 50 minutes. A lot of the people there work in Connecticut or Westchester County cities.

I grew up in Monroe and my parents still live there- you can say I know the area well. It is a very pleasant area and in some ways it was a wonderful place to grow up, but it is not Maplewood. And it is a horrifying commute to NYC. But it is a quiet area, beautiful and peaceful. Anything specific you are curious about?

Did you mean a 50-minute commute to NYC? I have family in Bridgeport and lived in New Haven for a number of years; like the area but don't see how that's possible. 

Nearly impossible to find another SOMA... 

You might look at North Haven.  Only about 25 minutes to Shelton; 30 minutes to Trumbull.  When my brother was alive, he raised two boys there.  His wife grew up in West Haven (I think), and still lives in the same North Haven house -- at least 30 years now.  My nephews have a great group of friends who've remained close through HS, college, grad school and beyond.  They both live in Cambridge now, but are home to visit often.

I grew up in Westport, which a generation or two ago was more like SOMA, but is very different now -- filled with people dripping money, looking to build their next McMansion.  Great place to grow up 40-50 years ago, though.  My dad commuted daily to NYC.  

There may be enough long-time residents there that the heart of the old Westport can be found.  About 25 to 30 minutes from Shelton, only about 20 minutes to Trumbull.  (We always did our "back to school" shopping at the Trumbull Mall.)  I believe they've added more 50+ residences and mixed-use retail/housing options downtown, much like SOMA is doing.

Other possibilities:  Woodbridge, Ridgefield, Redding, Branford, Madison.  

Sorry about the commute confusion. The job relocation is to the Trumbull/Shelton area and we are looking at no more than a 50 minute commute to that area, not NYC.  And thanks for the info on area, starting the process is always difficult!

OH, that gives you many options!

Thanks Juniemoon, some nice new options. Drove through Madison and Guilford yesterday, lovely towns. Refocusing up through RIdgefield today. Too many choices!

greenarrow said:

I grew up in Monroe and my parents still live there- you can say I know the area well. It is a very pleasant area and in some ways it was a wonderful place to grow up, but it is not Maplewood. And it is a horrifying commute to NYC. But it is a quiet area, beautiful and peaceful. Anything specific you are curious about?

So if you were to move back what towns would you consider other than Monroe?

Have lots of relatives in Connecticut. I know one thing for sure. They pay a lot less in taxes than we do!

smithfield5 said:

greenarrow said:

I grew up in Monroe and my parents still live there- you can say I know the area well. It is a very pleasant area and in some ways it was a wonderful place to grow up, but it is not Maplewood. And it is a horrifying commute to NYC. But it is a quiet area, beautiful and peaceful. Anything specific you are curious about?

So if you were to move back what towns would you consider other than Monroe?

Some of the towns I might look at have been mentioned here- Madison is very nice although I understand it have become pretty trendy lately. I have friends that live in West Haven and are very happy there- and very MAPSO types, if that can be a thing. And we chose not to look in Monroe when we moved to the area from Maryland, but it is very nice town with good schools and reasonable real estate. But you don't have the neighborhoods, the diversity...the lack of activities would drive me nuts and did when I was growing up. I didn't want that for my kids. What you do have is land and a very New England town green, a great park system, a great library...depends on your priorities. For me, I always think of the Talking Heads song: "Heaven...heaven is a place...a place where nothing...nothing ever happens."

Weston is a nice town.  Rural in feel.  PM me if you would like a recommendation for a great real estate agent.

Smithfield5, I PM'd you.    

Guilford

I have cousins who grew up in Redding and Ridgefield, having moved there from Northern and Central Jersey.  To this day, many years later, they still talk of how un-stimulating it was and how they would never raise their kids there.  Beautiful but boring.  Long drives to everything.  School friends living miles away. As a kid growing up in a more urban area, I was always a bit envious of them with their grass, trees and ponds. But hearing them talk now, I think maybe I had the better of it with many of my friends living is such close quarters.  To each his own I guess.

I adore Ridgefield.  If we weren't here, we'd be there.

Thanks for all the imput, several towns that we had not originally thought of are now on the radar. I have definitely decided that I would like a location with a Maplewood town and a Basking Ridge setting somewhere within a 50 minute commute of Shelton. Is this even possible?!