If you’re already in Connecticut but you’re thinking about relocating to a more family-friendly community, or you’re going to be moving into the state, you might be wondering which cities and towns are the best options. 

Burlington

If you’re looking at Burlington homes for sale, it’s a great option. This town is scenic and surrounded by rural natural beauty and the Farmington River. If you decide on Burlington, you’re only 20 miles west of Hartford, which can simplify your commute time, letting you spend more time with your family. 

The real estate market is primarily made up of single-family homes and townhomes, and while there is a rural element to Burlington that families find appealing, it’s also a more suburban community than it once was. 

There are around 30 miles of the Blue Trail in Burlington, and you can fish or canoe. 

Old Greenwich

Old Greenwich is often ranked as the number one place to raise a family in the state of Connecticut. It is a suburb of New York City, and it’s a beautiful suburban community with a lot of coffee shops, parks, and restaurants. While looking for homes, it's a wonderful idea to visit the area and spend some time there, as if you were a local. Plan to spend a weekend checking out the town with your family. There's always a variety of activities, going on, so be sure to check out things to do in Greenwich, CT, this weekend. 

The population is under 7,000, but due to its New York proximity, home prices are much higher than the national average. 

The crime rates are very low in Old Greenwich, and the schools are top-rated. 

Simsbury

Simsbury is a charming suburb of Hartford. There are around 24,000 people who call Simsbury home, and the downside is that the home value is higher than what you might find in a lot of other parts of the country, but that’s fairly through throughout the state. 

You might be able to find a classic New England-style home in Simsbury if that’s the type of architecture you’re attracted to. 

Simsbury consistently ranks well as far as living and raising a family. 

The residents of the community are described as engaged, the schools are highly rated, and there’s a lot of open space. 

According to residents, there’s a high quality of life here. 

Weatogue

Weatogue feels like a village, and it’s home only to around 3,000 people. This tiny Hartford suburb tends to have more affordable home prices than nearby communities. 

Crime is low, and since the community is so small, there is a sense of neighbors looking out for one another. 

While Weatogue does have that very small-town feel, there’s also nearby shopping and restaurants, so you aren’t sacrificing convenience. 

Popular family-friendly activities include swimming, ice-skating and picnicking. 

Weston

Weston is considered a suburb of New York City, and it’s a good commuter town. Most people who live in Weston commute to the city for work. The suburb is considered one of the safest in Connecticut, and residents tend to be high earners. 

The average family income in Weston is more than $217,000 annually. 

Glastonbury

Glastonbury is in Hartford County, and it’s home to the second-highest number of actual colonial houses in the country. The town has more than 150 houses that were built before 1800. The only town that has more is Marblehead, Massachusetts. Newport, Rhode Island, has more, but it’s considered a city rather than a town. 

There are four houses in Glastonbury that were built in the 1600s, with the oldest being the John Hollister House. The Hollister house was built around 1675, making it one of the oldest houses in the country. 

The town starts on the Connecticut River Banks, and since it goes into the foothills, you can get a view of the Hartford skyline in the distance. The town has a private lake, and it borders East Hartford, Cromwell, and Marlborough. 

Glastonbury has one of the larger school districts in Connecticut, and they’re rated as excellent. 

Ridgefield

Finally, Ridgefield is in Fairfield County. It’s a suburban town, and one of the most notable things about the town is the charming Main Street. 

There’s a level of small-town charm that residents and families love. You can walk around with your kids, get ice cream and meet the other people in the community, many of whom are very active and engaged. 

Ridgefield’s schools are among the top-rated in Connecticut, and it’s often described as one of the best places in the state to raise a family. It’s also considered a safe community with a relatively low level of crime.