Living in Southington, CT

Southington has a population of 43,500. As a suburb of Hartford, it is a growing bedroom community and a wonderful place to raise a family. Southington rests in a valley of gently rolling hills between two mountains to its east and west. The Quinnipiac, Eight Mile and Ten Mile Rivers flow through town. They offer many outdoor recreational opportunities, and the picturesque landscapes draw many retirees.

Southington is home to Lake Compounce Amusement Park and Mount Southington Ski Area, which draw thousands of visitors each year and provide a substantial tax base for the town.

Many orchards dot the landscape, earning Southington the nickname “Apple Valley” and giving name to its nationally known “Southington Apple Harvest Festival.”

Southington has a sparse suburban feel. The housing stock is varied, with more new construction than in other towns.

There are local public elementary schools, two middle schools and two high schools, as well as one alternative school and many private options throughout the area. Yale University is half an hour to the south in New Haven and Wesleyan University is in nearby Middletown. There are several high schools and boarding schools in those two locations, in addition to Waterbury and its suburbs.

Residents may work in any direction from Southington. Hartford is a mere twenty miles away, and Waterbury is only nine. Both I-84 and I-691 pass through it, and it is only minutes from I-91 for a 30-minute trip to the city of New Haven.

Southington offers a wealth of dining and craft beer experiences and has become a regional pizza destination. 

Lake Compounce, opened in 1846, is the oldest continuously operated amusement park in the country, to the delight of hundreds of thousands of Connecticut school children. Its location along the mountainous Metacomet Ridge, which stretches from Long Island Sound to the Massachusetts/Vermont border, provides many recreational opportunities. 

Mount Southington Ski Area offers a full range of terrain for skiers during the winter months and hosts summer camp and volleyball and cornhole leagues during warm weather.

There are a public golf course and many parks which provide an opportunity for outdoor activities at Sunset Rock State Park, Ragged Mountain Memorial Preserve and Panthorn Park, as well as nearby Hubbard Park and Castle Craig. 

Tour the Southington Center Historic District and the Barnes Museum and take the kids for a day of fun and activities at Rogers Orchards and Karabin Farms.