2022 Best Places to Live in Fairfield County

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: I moved from the Lake Hills section of Fairfield to Southport about 13 years ago, and I love it here! There is a great sense of community and it feels like you are back in time when you enter the Southport Historic District. Everything is walking or biking distance away, which is a great plus. The restaurant scene is very nice with the Artisan and the Gray Goose representing the posh side of Southport. Southport cares a lot about the environment and nature, with Southport Park being a great little destination, and there is an ecological restoration taking place east of Pease Ave, South of Mill Hill Terrace, and north of I-95.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 1,719

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4.56 out of 5  9 reviews

Current Resident: Old Greenwich is an incredible community — the absolute best in Connecticut. Safe, picturesque with highly regarded schools, Old Greenwich is an absolute treasure for those raising a family. There is a real sense of community making it town like no other. 40 minutes to Manhattan makes this town easily accessible to the world’s financial district and some of the most prestigious multinational business organizations. Real estate in town tends to range from $1.5M to around $8M making it a very expensive place to live, however, the personal and family-oriented benefits entirely outweigh the costs. Simply put: Old Greenwich is a community worth experiencing!... Read 9 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 6,929

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4.05 out of 5  91 reviews

Works Here: Greenwich is a charming and safe town that sits by the sound. Because Greenwich is a pretty big town, It's made of 6 areas: Cos Cob, Old Greenwich, Riverside, Glenville, Byram, and Greenwich downtown. Then there is also back-country where all of the beautiful Mansions live. Since Greenwich is very wealthy, the town is well taken care of-- the roads are free from manholes, no trash littered on the ground, and a prodigious public education. Not to mention, the security and safety precautions that are taken here! I feel safe walking the streets at night, and our police and fire department work tirelessly to keep this place safe. Overall, Greenwich is a great place to live in, especially for the younger kids; they can attain a really good education, not have to worry about them letting hurt, and letting them go the near by beach!... Read 91 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 63,455

Current Resident: Ridgefield is alive with the Arts, has an excellent library and Recreational Center! It promotes wellness of the whole person, both physically and intellectually. There are many community activities with parades, crafts, sports, and competitions. It is almost completely crime-free but also has an excellent police presence. The public school system is excellent, and there are numerous good private schools available, as well. Because it is a small town, the shopping opportunities are limited to small boutique shops; therefore, one must drive to nearby towns to shop for essentials or visit a Mall. For example, there is only one grocery store, a small hardware store, and no drive -through restaurants. The pace of life here is slow and easy, with a 25MPH-30MPH speed limit. Property taxes are high, although less expensive than nearby upscale Fairfield County towns. Still, there is good value in real estate here because it is considered a very desirable place to live.... Read 127 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 25,053

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4.02 out of 5  122 reviews

Current Resident: Fairfield is a beautiful and fun town with many things to offer. It's much larger than you would expect just looking at it on a map. There are over 100 restaurants that serve amazing food and drinks. Downtown Fairfield is the place to be when the weather gets warm. The town's residents gather for outdoor concerts and to stroll along the busy streets of Post Road. I've lived in Fairfield for 15 years now and there are still many places in town I have yet to visit. Anything I could ever need is just a few minutes away by car on Black Rock Turnpike such as grocery stores, banks, restaurants, fitness places, gas stations, schools, clothing stores, etc. Fairfield has a terrific school system with amazing teachers who are dedicated to educating their students and preparing them for the real world. Fairfield is a safe town to live in thanks to our front-line workers such as police officers, EMTs, and Firefighters. The only downsides to living in Fairfield are the housing prices and traffic.... Read 122 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 61,737

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

Current Resident: It has a very neighborhood feel which is really nice and welcoming to new, young families. There is a lot of turnover with houses happening now and, if that continues, I think it will become five stars.... Read 2 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 7,089

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4.13 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: I really like the city. People are nice, and there are nice places to go to. Nice place to live in. 10/10... Read 8 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 9,133

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4.19 out of 5  42 reviews

Current Resident: Wilton is gorgeous! It is well known for having excellent schools with truly impressive music programs. Wilton is ranked 6th most affluent town in CT. Most of the houses are HUGE, and 2+ acres away from each other in the woods. On Zillow you can usually find lots of houses with pools, tennis courts, expansions, and some have detached barns for horses. People love their houses and luxury cars around here. Don't listen to anything you may hear about Wilton being snobby, or people seeming unfriendly. Wiltonians are mostly New York area transplants who moved for the schools, and the peace and quiet. Downtown has shops for all your essentials, as well as some great local favorite restaurants. We are close to New Canaan and Westport which have more shopping and restaurant options. Though lots of people from surrounding neighboring towns drive to Wilton for our restaurants. Overall Wilton is a very safe family friendly town with gorgeous landscape and excellent schools.... Read 42 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 18,486

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4.03 out of 5  29 reviews

Current Resident: We moved to Weston from NYC and I'm in love with the city ever since! Beautiful, calm, and friendly. My paradise on earth. There are always cities nearby to go for shopping and entertainment, as well as a relatively short ride to NYC.... Read 29 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 10,339

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4.18 out of 5  50 reviews

Current Resident: The schools are excellent! Staples High School is a great school and colleges know that! This is the reason I moved here and it was worth it. The beach is very pretty, although after 13 years I’m not as excited by it! There is a mix of people... some nice and some spoiled/arrogant, so find your people. The town is safe, people leave their doors unlocked (although I never would). Main Street is fun and the restaurants are pretty good. Overall, I moved here for the kids and it was worth it. Now that I’m getting older, I’m ready to live in a place that’s warm all year!... Read 50 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 28,016

• Neighborhood in Stamford, CT

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  Rating 3.73 out of 5  49 reviews

Current Resident: It is a welcoming neighborhood in the center of stamford with quick access to grocery stores, schools, and pretty much anything u may need.... Read 49 reviews

• grade A+

• grade B

• Population 19,149

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4.09 out of 5  43 reviews

Current Resident: New Canaan is an amazing community driven town with things to do for everyone! The volunteer opportunities are boundless and offer ways for everyone to get involved and make everyone feel they can be a part of an amazing community. There are many family focused, elderly focused, new resident focused, child & teen focused activities and one doesn't have to look far to become involved. The schools are top notch; the public places are beautifully maintained; the library & YMCA are top notch, town parks & pool are beautiful; there are art exhibits, parades, gatherings, pop up parks, broadway like shows at the high school, amazing restaurants and shops in the walkable downtown district and truly something for everyone!... Read 43 reviews

• grade A+

• grade A+

• Population 20,574

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4.67 out of 5  3 reviews

Current Resident: Best part of Greenwich. Hands down!! Good school. Beautiful. Nice, not snobby people. Great restaurants. Walkable.... Read 3 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 2,940

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 2.73 out of 5  48 reviews

Current Resident: This is a great community for families in general with a lot of opportunities for recreation and community involvement. With great schools, students are also provided with opportunities for growth. The scenery is beautiful and it's all too easy to fall into your own little world.... Read 48 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 7,602

Current Resident: Love the school system! The community is relaxed. Residents place a high value on the natural environment. You can hike for 60 miles on open space and be to the best malls and dining within 15 minutes. 60 minutes door to door drive to mid-town, or you can take the train from Redding station going direct to grand central in peak hours. Takes a little longer but I read a book, or the morning paper, or get ahead on my email. So worth it!... Read 41 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 8,831

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4.09 out of 5  43 reviews

Current Resident: Darien has always felt like a pretty safe town. It is competitive but schooling is excellent. Our classes are practically college level courses. We definitely experience all four seasons, but snow not so much as you would expect. Overall I’m grateful to have grown up in this town.... Read 43 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 21,742

• Neighborhood in Stamford, CT

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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  8 reviews

Niche User: I absolutely love this area. There is always something going on and events happening. It is the best of both worlds because theres urban and rural areas that give the city life effect as well as the spacious privacy others look for. I would definitely live here again and plan to because it is full of different opportunities, constant improvements and people filled with life all about! The atmosphere and vibe that this area gives off is fun and happy, there's always something to do whether it is going to explore nature or going shopping in stores.... Read 8 reviews

• grade A

• grade B

• Population 5,883

• Neighborhood in Stamford, CT

• grade A

• grade B

• Population 7,784

• Neighborhood in Stamford, CT

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  Rating 3.5 out of 5  26 reviews

Niche User: Its a great town to live in very clean, has enough room for everyone, schools provide kids what they need.... Read 26 reviews

• grade A

• grade B

• Population 11,094

Current Resident: I love almost everything about Newtown. I have had very pleasant experiences with the schools, and I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in some of the extracurricular activities, such as the Newtown High School Marching Band, where we won a US Bands State Championship and a US Bands National Championship in 2017. The community itself is very welcoming and friendly, and I have loved living here for my entire life!... Read 118 reviews

• grade A

• grade A

• Population 27,388

Current Resident: Brookfield is a great town for families and is very welcoming. The school system is excellent, and the vast majority of people are very accepting of others. My partner and I are part of the LGBTQ community, and we have found it very easy to build close friendships here. The town is also developing pretty quickly, and there are increasingly a lot of great restaurants and activities within Brookfield. There are already numerous parks and nature trails, and the town beach on Candlewood Lake is a cozy place to spend the summer. Overall I would say it is one of the best places in Connecticut to raise a family.... Read 86 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 17,428

Current Resident: Great Community, love the town and there are plenty of things to do around here. Not too far from the beaches, movie theaters, sporting events at the high school. There a golf course, park with a public pool, endless ideas for fun.... Read 45 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 18,927

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 4 out of 5  2 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 4,994

• Suburb in Connecticut

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  Rating 3.88 out of 5  103 reviews

Current Resident: I love that it is so easy to find everything you need while giving a feel of being in a country-style town. It's one of those places where people value the look of nature and take care of it, while co-existing with the modern needs of society. There are miles and many acres of hiking trails just a stones throw from shopping centers and restaurants. There is something for almost everybody in this town.... Read 103 reviews

• grade A

• grade A+

• Population 35,976

Current Resident: I have lived in Bethel, CT for a little over a year. I previously resided in Brooklyn, NY. There is a vast difference between the two. My husband and I decided to make a move out of the city for the benefits of our three young children, ages 11, 8, and 4. We thoroughly enjoy the difference of scenery, less traffic, friendliness, welcoming neighborly people, safety, great schools, great community, great neighboring towns, etc. There is also a lot to do, hang outs for the family, shopping, malls, restaurants and kids activities. I highly recommend Bethel, CT.... Read 45 reviews

• grade A

• grade A minus

• Population 20,287