Connecticut Magazine Rates State Cities and Towns (Part 3)

CT Magazine Rates State Cities and Towns

This is the third in a four part series highlighting the rating of  Connecticut cities and towns by Connecticut Magazine. In our first post, we focused on the largest cities in our state, those with populations of 50,000 or more; in our second post, we highlighted cities between 25,000 and 50,000 residents. To recap, the publication set the following criteria for the rankings:

They first sorted the localities into four groups based on population:

• 10,000 – 15,000
• 15,000 – 25,000
• 25,000 – 50,000
• 50,000+ (Towns with populations below 10,000 will be featured in their own rankings in the March 2010 issue; see here for the 2007 rankings)

Then, information was collected in the quality-of-life criteria that are most important to residents:

• Schools
• Crime Rate
• Cost of Living
• Local Economy
• Leisure/Cultural Outlets

Then the numbers were crunched and rankings were awarded based on how the towns scored in those criteria, with a “1” being the best score possible. In this third part of the series, we’ll be taking a look at the next population segment, between 15,000 and 25,000 residents, and specifically those in our market area:

15,000 – 25,000: North Haven Up Against Strong Competition

Our neighbor to the south, North Haven, dropped a few places from the last ratings, from 21st to 24th. The magazine attributed the fall to lower scores in education, crime and the economy. Home sales in North Haven, have been good, however; sales of single family homes were up 40% in October. Also, North Haven’s score for cost of living was 15, placing it squarely in the middle of the pack in that criterion.

Here are the full set of results for this population segment:

Remember, these rankings are not to be considered the last word in what the quality of life is in a particular city/town; however, they are a starting point and can be used as a point of comparison when making a decision about where to live in the state. There are many reasons for liking – or not liking – a specific city or town that transcend any statistical ranking or report, and only you can decide if a place is right for you and your family.

In Part Four of this series, we’ll take a look at the last population segment, towns between 10,000 and 15,000 residents. To see these results in their entirety, pick up a copy of Connecticut Magazine’s November issue, on sale now at your favorite store or newsstand.