Where City Style Meets Village Charm
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7/7/2009
West Hartford is a great big suburb next to a not-as-great little city. It has a somewhat diverse (at least as far as central Connecticut suburbs go) population, and a great town center where residents spend many summer nights on the greens and plaza. Compared to Simsbury and Farmington, the people here are not as snotty as one could expect. There is a great number of rich white people, but they are generally accepting and friendly towards people who aren't their carbon copy. Gay and lesbian lifestyles are accepted here without discrimination or hate, most people find respect. Housing is not exactly cheap, a decent studio or 1 br will put you out at least $800 a month. However, you can split a good 2 br for 900-1200 near the town center. Public transportation throughout the region is generally purposed for those who can't afford a car and a few environmentalists that live on their bus line. I took the bus for a month, my 10-15 minute drive to work or school would turn into an hour of carefully timed transfers and a lot of walking. It was also cheaper to just drive the car I already paid for. Overall, West Hartford is a wonderful place to raise kids (I heard from my very friendly neighbors that the schools are great, definitely some of the best in the state) and live as a young professional. There are a few colleges within the town itself, University of Hartford, UConn Hartford and St. Joseph's College for Women. Some complain that Hartford itself is boring, the nightlife is stagnant... it depends what you're looking for. Come visit first!
Erin | West Hartford, CT