The 10 Best Small Towns In Connecticut For 2024


The best small towns in Connecticut are Noank and Wilton Center for 2024 based on Saturday Night Science.

By: Chris Kolmar | About HomeSnacks
Last Updated: January 12, 2024

You’ve seen these lists before. Best places to live in Connecticut. Best sururbs in Connecticut. Best counties in Connecticut.

Etc., etc., etc.

But they all focus on major cities and towns in the Constitution State, and no one pays attention to the little guy.

Well, that’s all about to change as we put together a list of the superb small towns in Connecticut based on numbers–not opinions or hearsay.

We’ll dive right into our methodology in the next section, but first, we thought you might want to know which places in Connecticut ranked the best based on Saturday Night Science.

Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

The 15 Best Small Towns To Live In Connecticut For 2024

  1. Noank
  2. Wilton Center
  3. Weatogue
  4. Glenville
  5. Woodmont
  6. Mystic
  7. Pemberwick
  8. Madison Center
  9. Litchfield
  10. Old Saybrook Center
  11. Guilford Center
  12. West Simsbury
  13. Ne
  14. Essex Village
  15. Collinsville

Best Small Towns To Live In Connecticut Map

What’s the best small town in Connecticut? Noank is the best small town in Connecticut based on the most recent Census data. If you live in one of these small towns like Noank, chances are, you’re not surprised. After all, you know how great you have it.

But for the rest of you–keep reading, and we’ll get to just why these small towns made our list.

For more reading on the Constitution State check out:

The 15 Best Small Towns In Connecticut For 2024

1. Noank

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 1,708
Median Income: $156,842 (4th Best)
Median Home Value: $559,298 (10th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.9%

2. Wilton Center

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 1,642
Median Income: $130,543 (10th Best)
Median Home Value: $578,869 (9th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.4%

3. Weatogue

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 2,671
Median Income: $154,716 (7th Best)
Median Home Value: $433,503 (24th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.7%

4. Glenville

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 3,112
Median Income: $197,619 (1st Best)
Median Home Value: $1,163,162 (1st Best)
Unemployment Rate: 7.4%

5. Woodmont

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 1,619
Median Income: $97,171 (26th Best)
Median Home Value: $510,447 (16th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.8%

6. Mystic

Overall SnackAbility

7.5
/10

Population: 4,417
Median Income: $126,854 (13th Best)
Median Home Value: $542,439 (12th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.7%

7. Pemberwick

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 3,212
Median Income: $122,546 (14th Best)
Median Home Value: $966,393 (3rd Best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.4%

8. Madison Center

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,536
Median Income: $130,625 (9th Best)
Median Home Value: $756,538 (5th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.7%

9. Litchfield

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 1,355
Median Income: $121,346 (16th Best)
Median Home Value: $471,964 (18th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.9%

10. Old Saybrook Center

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,017
Median Income: $79,712 (43rd Best)
Median Home Value: $466,986 (19th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

11. Guilford Center

Overall SnackAbility

7
/10

Population: 2,541
Median Income: $88,850 (33rd Best)
Median Home Value: $649,371 (7th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.6%

12. West Simsbury

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 2,796
Median Income: $175,045 (2nd Best)
Median Home Value: $539,610 (13th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.5%

13. Ne

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 1,959
Median Income: $144,375 (8th Best)
Median Home Value: $532,182 (14th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 3.4%

14. Essex Village

Source: Public Domain
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 2,725
Median Income: $98,611 (25th Best)
Median Home Value: $869,129 (4th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.0%

15. Collinsville

Overall SnackAbility

6
/10

Population: 3,750
Median Income: $101,336 (23rd Best)
Median Home Value: $433,150 (25th Best)
Unemployment Rate: 2.2%

Best States In America

Methodology: How We Determined The Coolest Towns In Connecticut

We threw a lot of criteria at this report to get the best, most complete results of the best small towns in Connecticut possible.

Using the most recent data from the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and Saturday Night Science, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (Higher is better)
  • Lowest Unemployment Rates
  • Housing costs (Higher is better. More demand.)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Higher is better)
  • Highly Educated Adults (Higher is better)
  • Insurance Rates (Higher is better)
  • Commute Times (Lower is better)

We looked at places with populations lower than 5,000 people and greater than 1,000, of which there were many – 67 to be exact.

We then ranked each place in each category with scores from 1 to 67, averaged them out, and the lowest scores went to our Best Small Towns in Connecticut. Top of that list — Noank.

This is our tenth time ranking the best small places to live in Connecticut.

Summary: Science Can Tackle Any Issue, Even Small Ones

We said it once, and we’ll say it again — this list: it’s just science. We did the research, crunched the numbers, and it turns out these 15 small towns in Connecticut are the best in which to live.

And who can argue with that?

The best small towns in Connecticut are Noank, Wilton Center, Weatogue, Glenville, Woodmont, Mystic, Pemberwick, Madison Center, Litchfield, and Old Saybrook Center.

If you’re curious, here are the worst small towns in Connecticut:

  1. North Grosvenor Dale
  2. Canaan
  3. Danielson

For more Connecticut reading, check out:

Best Small Towns In Connecticut

Rank City Population Median Income Median Home Value Unemployment Rate
1 Noank, CT 1,708 $156,842 0.9%
2 Wilton Center, CT 1,642 $130,543 2.4%
3 Weatogue, CT 2,671 $154,716 0.7%
4 Glenville, CT 3,112 $197,619 7.4%
5 Woodmont, CT 1,619 $97,171 2.8%
6 Mystic, CT 4,417 $126,854 3.7%
7 Pemberwick, CT 3,212 $122,546 5.4%
8 Madison Center, CT 1,536 $130,625 2.7%
9 Litchfield, CT 1,355 $121,346 4.9%
10 Old Saybrook Center, CT 2,017 $79,712 0.0%
11 Guilford Center, CT 2,541 $88,850 0.6%
12 West Simsbury, CT 2,796 $175,045 4.5%
13 Ne, CT 1,959 $144,375 3.4%
14 Essex Village, CT 2,725 $98,611 0.0%
15 Collinsville, CT 3,750 $101,336 2.2%
16 Niantic, CT 3,497 $82,398 2.7%
17 North Granby, CT 1,556 $114,519 0.0%
18 Southport, CT 1,515 $156,406 5.3%
19 Mansfield Center, CT 1,281 $115,655 3.4%
20 Higganum, CT 1,693 $130,411 0.0%
21 Crystal Lake, CT 2,080 $156,595 0.0%
22 Somers, CT 2,231 $79,952 0.0%
23 Georgetown, CT 1,656 $159,242 8.4%
24 Saybrook Manor, CT 1,231 $110,526 4.2%
25 Thomaston, CT 2,087 $71,301 4.9%
26 Salmon Brook, CT 2,184 $77,500 2.4%
27 South Coventry, CT 1,468 $100,145 2.7%
28 East Hampton, CT 2,944 $122,426 4.5%
29 Clinton, CT 3,113 $80,083 3.7%
30 New Preston, CT 1,026 $85,357 1.4%
31 Lake Pocotopaug, CT 4,761 $105,750 5.3%
32 Old Mystic, CT 3,385 $112,734 5.6%
33 Westbrook Center, CT 2,317 $69,544 3.6%
34 Deep River Center, CT 2,700 $75,296 3.1%
35 Canton Valley, CT 1,484 $70,389 0.3%
36 Durham, CT 3,469 $127,361 6.0%
37 Bethlehem Village, CT 2,103 $115,455 0.8%
38 Gales Ferry, CT 1,113 $91,083 1.0%
39 South Woodstock, CT 1,418 $75,763 7.2%
40 Broad Brook, CT 4,006 $93,243 4.1%
41 Watertown, CT 3,765 $67,252 4.1%
42 Suffield Depot, CT 1,886 $83,926 14.8%
43 Chester Center, CT 1,729 $73,611 3.3%
44 Wauregan, CT 1,396 $81,964 2.2%
45 Northwest Harwinton, CT 3,202 $93,521 4.5%
46 Heritage Village, CT 4,411 $46,663 3.4%
47 Waterford, CT 3,276 $74,701 8.2%
48 Colchester, CT 4,868 $74,035 8.0%
49 Tariffville, CT 1,803 $83,607 14.7%
50 Moodus, CT 1,666 $96,032 3.0%
51 Coventry Lake, CT 2,230 $86,394 3.7%
52 New Hartford Center, CT 1,364 $71,456 5.1%
53 Woodbury Center, CT 1,445 $89,563 11.5%
54 Blue Hills, CT 2,224 $63,844 3.5%
55 Stafford Springs, CT 4,890 $68,929 6.6%
56 East Brooklyn, CT 2,051 $63,938 9.9%
57 Poquonock Bridge, CT 1,390 $61,994 15.8%
58 Jewett City, CT 3,415 $52,283 8.1%
59 Baltic, CT 1,150 $91,250 4.7%
60 Terryville, CT 4,998 $69,444 5.5%
61 Moosup, CT 3,175 $64,466 6.8%
62 Oxoboxo River, CT 2,429 $69,740 6.9%
63 South Windham, CT 1,412 $69,327 1.2%
64 Plainfield Village, CT 2,681 $62,638 10.2%
65 Danielson, CT 4,162 $69,007 16.9%
66 Canaan, CT 1,353 $31,130 12.7%
67 North Grosvenor Dale, CT 1,281 $85,982 11.3%
About Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar has been in the real estate business for almost ten years now. He originally worked for Movoto Real Estate as the director of marketing before founding HomeSnacks.

He believes the key to finding the right place to live comes down to looking at the data, reading about things to do, and, most importantly, checking it out yourself before you move.

If you've been looking for a place to live in the past several years, you've probably stumbled upon his writing already.

You can find out more about him on LinkedIn or his website.

 Best Small Towns