Connecticut’s topography includes gently rolling hills, horse farms in the northwest and lush woodlands that transform into a stunning tapestry of red, orange and yellow in the autumn. But most people associate living in the state with living near the water—the word Connecticut itself comes from a Native American word that means “beside a long tidal river.” The state is crossed by four major rivers, and it has nearly 100 miles of coastline along the Long Island Sound (far more, if you count the shores of its many inlets and bays).

Of course, living near the water will cost you more in almost any state, and it’s one factor behind Connecticut’s high cost of living—statewide, it’s more than 30% higher than the national average, according to Sperling’s Best Places.

Most of the state is within a few hours by car, bus or train from New York City or Boston. Not coincidentally, the state has one of the highest median incomes in the nation, and areas such as the town of Greenwich and some parts of Fairfield County are famous for their mansions and ritzy shopping. Often dubbed the nation’s hedge-fund capital because so many uber-rich money managers live and work there, Greenwich has a median home cost of more than $1 million, and the overall cost of living is nearly three times the national average.

Fly fishing on the Housatonic River: It beats working. Spirit of America/Shutterstock.com

Connecticut tax rates top off at 6.7% for incomes of $250,000 and up, and the state is one of just 14 that tax Social Security income, with exemptions based on adjusted gross income. Pension income also is often taxable.

But high prices and taxes don’t deter retirees who like the scenery and who want to stay close to children, grandchildren and lifelong friends in the nearby metropolitan areas. “New England life is what it is,” says Andrea Sweidler, a real-estate agent based in New Milford with Berkshire-Hathaway HomeServices New England Properties. “Many of them are New Englanders for life.”

Not everywhere in Connecticut is super-pricey: The median home price is $222,400, according to Sperling’s Best Places. These four communities offer the serenity of the Constitution State at a more reasonable price.

The Tarrywile Mansion, a destination for day-hikers. Shutterstock

Danbury

About a half century ago Danbury was the hat-making capital of the country. But the milliners have given way to the duffers: Danbury is now far better known for its proximity to the links. Richter Park Golf Course was recently rated one of the top 25 public courses in the country by Golf Digest, and Danbury residents get to play there at a significant discount. There are also private courses right in town and dozens of public and private courses within a short drive. For nongolfers, hiking abounds. Danbury is 25 minutes from the idyllic Berkshire Mountains and two sprawling state parks.

Danbury is close to New York City—about an hour and a half away by train. But the town and surrounding Litchfield County are no slouch in the culture department in their own right, says Janet Serra, executive director of the Western Connecticut Convention and Visitors Bureau. Highlights include the Ives Concert Park, which hosts music acts, a city orchestra and numerous festivals throughout the year, and the Marian Anderson Studio, once home to the first African-American singer to perform at the Metropolitan Opera House, and now open for tours and performances. Numerous other arts-related sites are less than a half-hour drive away, including Music Mountain in Norfolk, home of the nation’s oldest continuous chamber music series, and the Weir Farm National Historic Site, where visitors can paint the same outdoor panoramas that inspired works by impressionist J. Alden Weir.

Downtown Danbury is “quiet and quaint with a bucolic green,” Serra says. Retirees also may be surprised by the wide array of ethnic restaurants, including Asian, Middle Eastern and South American cuisine, she adds. “If you’re coming from a big city and used to a lot of different eateries, you’ll find that here,” Serra says. “Danbury is a small multicultural city.” Mall and chain stores are available in the suburbs, and the area is also known for its natural beauty, including Candlewood Lake, the state’s largest lake, and Tarrywile Park, with 21 miles of trails surrounding a Victorian mansion.

By the numbers

Population: 80,893

Median home cost: $233,700

Cost of living: 32.9% higher than the national average

Unemployment: 7.2%

Source: Sperling’s Best Places

Wadsworth Falls State Park near Middletown. Shutterstock

Middletown

Home to Wesleyan University, Middletown has the character, restaurant, shopping and cultural offerings that come with great college towns. It’s also affordable compared with the rest of the state, with a cost of living 18.2% higher than the national average and a median home cost of $186,700. Its vibrant central business district includes 35 restaurants--with cuisine from around the world--and 40 shops, and the main strip was voted one of “America’s most romantic main streets” by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. “The arts continue to thrive a lot more than one would expect for a community this size,” says Stephan Allison, coordinator of the arts and culture office for the city. The Center for the Arts at Wesleyan and The Buttonwood Tree cultural center together offer hundreds of art, theater and dance events.

Tree-covered and tucked away beside the Connecticut River, Middletown is also just 25 minutes from Hartford, the state capital, about a half-hour from the coast and a few minutes’ drive from quality public golf courses in Middlefield and Portland. Near town, residents have plenty of hiking options, including the Mattabesett Blue Trail, which winds through caves and offers views of the city; there’s also the Connecticut aMAIZEing Maze with its 2 miles of paths through a massive cornfield. The area along the river is undergoing a revitalization as well, Allison says.

Retirees here say the community is close-knit, and they can get very involved in volunteering, especially around the arts. There’s also a strong AARP group here, Allison adds, as well as highly rated Middlesex Hospital, which has a cancer center, an advanced surgery center and a strong reputation in robotic procedures.

By the numbers

Population: 47,648

Median home cost: $186,700

Cost of living: 18.2% higher than average

Unemployment: 6.5%

Source: Sperling’s Best Places

A harbor on the Niantic River. Shutterstock

East Lyme/Niantic

Coastal living in Connecticut is expensive, but East Lyme and Niantic have costs of living that are considerably lower than those of other shoreline towns like Guilford, Madison and Mystic. Niantic, which essentially serves as East Lyme’s downtown, also is the only community on the Connecticut coast where the “Main Street” runs parallel to the Long Island Sound; and unlike in some other waterfront towns, its shops and restaurants downtown stay open year-round.

Back in the 1990s, friends in East Lyme didn’t ask Tom and Judi Mitchell where they were going to retire but just when they were moving back. “We looked at each other and said we never left,” Judi says. The couple first lived in the area from 1980 until 1997; they returned from Darnestown, Md., in June 2013 when Tom, now 67, retired as vice president of BAE Systems and Judi as associate scholarship director at Montgomery College. Reconnecting with friends and the beauty of the coast were the prime drivers for retiring here, says Judi, who’s now 63; she adds that she and Tom are “beach people.” The couple doesn’t boat, a major pastime in town, but they love walking and sitting on the beach, which is a half-mile from their house. “There is nothing more beautiful than Niantic in the summer,” she adds.

The only downside to Niantic for the Mitchells is that it has fewer shops, restaurants and activities than its pricier neighbors, but the couple doesn’t mind getting in the car for a short drive. All of Connecticut’s casinos are minutes away by car, while New York and Boston are an easy day trip by car or by train, with train stations about 15 minutes away in New London and Old Saybrook. Another strength of coastal living is gentler winters. East Lyme and Niantic get snow, but less than the state’s inland towns, says Mary Poola, broker and co-owner of Niantic-based Heritage Properties. A cancer center opened recently in Waterford, 10 minutes away, and world-class Yale-New Haven Hospital is less than an hour’s drive to the southwest. For travel further afield, residents tend to drive about an hour to get direct flights out of Providence, R.I., or Bradley International Airport, just north of Hartford.

East Lyme by the numbers

Population: 19,159

Median home cost: $268,900

Cost of living: 35.9% higher than average

Unemployment: 7.3%

Niantic by the numbers

Population: 3,114

Median home cost: $237,900

Cost of living: 30.3% higher than average

Unemployment: 8.1%

Source: Sperling’s Best Places

Bank Street, in historic downtown New Milford. Jerry Dougherty/Wikipedia

New Milford

Retirees who crave bucolic New England country life and natural beauty but also want some arts, culture and other amenities may wish to consider New Milford. Waterfront property is plentiful along Candlewood Lake, the Housatonic River runs right through the community, and the town green provides a restful natural oasis in the heart of downtown. “The green is one of the most beautiful in New England,” says Sweidler, the local real-estate agent. “It also has a great downtown area which is fun to walk around with wonderful restaurants, boutiques, and its own movie theater.”

New Milford offers a variety of housing choices and sizes for retirees including newer homes in three age-55-plus communities. Sales prices are creeping up and the median lately has been around $270,000, Sweidler says. Most retiring buyers are native New Englanders, though some are snowbirds who live further south during winter months, she adds. The fall foliage is breathtaking, Sweidler says. “I always say I live in God’s country in the fall,” she adds.

More assets that may appeal to retirees include a vibrant senior center, many volunteer opportunities and an 18-hole public golf course at The Candlewood Valley Country Club, Sweidler says. Three more private golf courses are nearby in neighboring communities, she adds. Hikers will enjoy having the Appalachian Trail nearby, as well as numerous other trails and public parks.

By the numbers

Population: 6,523

Median home cost: $234,900

Cost of living: 31% higher than average

Unemployment: 7.1%

Source: Sperling’s Best Places

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