Living in New Haven, CT

New Haven offers a lively, artsy, urban feel, and with its many tree lined streets and unique neighborhoods that suit many lifestyles and living preferences, it attracts a diverse group of residents. Filled with art galleries, seasonal farmers markets, museums, restaurants, theaters, parks and venues for recreational and intellectual pursuits and groundbreaking biochemical and technology discoveries, New Haven is a blend of old and cutting edge.

New Haven’s neighborhoods are diverse and meet the needs of a wide range of people, from graduate students and young professionals to top researchers, CEOs and retirees who want to enjoy the city’s vibrant culture. Some popular neighborhoods include East Rock, Westville, Wooster Square and Downtown. Within each area there are a wide range of housing options, from private older homes to condos and rentals in converted, often historic, buildings. 

A Sampling of New Haven Neighborhoods

The East Rock neighborhood’s stately and bucolic streets offer historical Victorian houses and traditional multi-family homes, apartment complexes and rentals in townhouses, art deco condos and those that have been restored in old churches. Like our New Haven Real Estate Agency office, it has easy access to interstate highways, a Connecticut Transit operated bus line and the Yale University shuttle make this leafy enclave both accessible to Downtown and a quaintly peaceful small town unto itself.

In Westville’s family oriented and civic minded community, you will find residential streets lush with mature trees, green lawns and large, stately homes which reflect the architectural styles of early to mid 20th century America. Take a morning run or evening stroll on Chapel Street and McKinley and Alston Avenues and marvel at the Colonial, Tudor, Bungalow, Arts and Craft and Spanish revival style houses. Go for a walk to the Yale Bowl via tree lined Cleveland Road, where one side abuts open polo fields.

Wooster Square’s hip and sophisticated environment is also home to some of New Haven’s best pizza places, as well as beautifully preserved architecture in Greek Revival, Queen Anne and Italianate styles. Sometimes dubbed, “New Haven’s Little Italy,” Wooster Square is home to the famous Pepe’s and Sally’s, as well as other excellent Italian eateries.

New Haven is home to Yale University, Southern Connecticut State University, Albertus Magnus College and Gateway Community College. It offers many private and public schools, along with specialized magnet schools dedicated to the arts, science and medical technology.

Located along I-95, halfway between New York and Boston, New Haven is convenient to interstate highways, and is served by rail, bus and air transportation. New Haven’s Union Station is serviced by both Metro-North and Amtrak. Leaving by train from Union Station, you can be in Grand Central Station in New York City in just over 90 minutes. If you are traveling by plane, Tweed New Haven Airport is easy to access, and Westchester County Airport and Bradley International Airport are about an hour away. Many residents find that their commute to work is accessible on foot or bike, so you may find that you can leave your car at home most days.

Be sure to take in a performance at one of Yale’s professional theaters. Catch a concert or Broadway touring show at the historic Shubert Theatre or be one of the first to see a Broadway play in the making at Long Wharf Theater.

You can enjoy concerts at many music venues around the city, and view world class collections at the Yale Center for British Art, the Yale University Art Gallery and the Peabody Museum of Natural History.  When you’ve worked up an appetite, there are numerous eclectic restaurants and coffee shops to try. If you haven’t heard about New Haven’s world famous pizza, be sure to grab a slice from its pizza icons, Pepe’s, Sally’s and Modern.

The 427 acre East Rock Park offers a quiet respite with beautifully landscaped grounds, sports fields, walking paths and a canoe launch into the Mill River. Lighthouse Point Park offers beaches, swimming, a splash pad, birding and nature preserves and a working historic carousel.

Sports fans have many options, including watching football at the Yale Bowl, tennis at the Connecticut Tennis Center and hockey at Ingalls Rink, commonly referred to as The Whale due to its shape. Golf lovers have numerous courses to choose from in New Haven and its neighboring towns. Runners and cyclists will find many places to run and ride recreationally, as well as races to participate in.

Is New Haven a good place to invest in real estate?

New Haven offers a diverse range of investment options in commercial and residential real estate, including multifamily buildings, offices, mixed-use properties, and warehouses, which could potentially yield profitable returns for you. Additionally, if you are seeking a city with numerous opportunities, New Haven is an excellent place to live.

Is New Haven CT a good place to live?

New Haven is considered a great place to live. It was ranked the 87th best place to live nationally in 2021.

Does New Haven get a lot of snow?

New Haven averages about 25 inches of snow, with a majority of it coming in January and February.

Does New Haven have a beach?

New Haven is on Connecticut's shoreline, offering a good selection of salt water beaches for all tastes including Dover Beach, Silver Sand Beach, and LightHouse Beach to name a few.

What is New Haven best known for?

New Haven is best known for being a foodie destination, being known for the home of pizza. New Haven is also the second largest city in Connecticut and the home to Yale.