Madison Mews
Madison, Connecticut
Branford, Connecticut
What It Is Like to Retire in Branford
Branford is a shoreline town of about 28,000 on the coast of Long Island Sound, just a few miles east of New Haven. The town has an extremely attractive downtown with many shops and interesting restaurants lining its spacious central green. The area appeals to boaters and people who love the beach. Photo of Town Green courtesy of Wikipedia and Kenneth C. Zerkel, Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0/
Where to Retire in Branford and Home Prices
Residential areas range from a variety of neighborhoods along the water to those of all types north of Route 1 and I 95. Many people who live here work in New Haven or Hartford, although there are a fair number of retired folks who live in one of the many townhouse or condo developments in the area. Median home sale prices were $308,606 in mid-2021, according to Zillow.com. Shoreline Village CT is an active Village Community in development centered in Branford, this article, "It Takes a Village" describes it in more detail. There is 1 CCRC and many condo developments in Branford, see the CT Directory of Active Communities link above for more.
What Is Special about Branford
There are a lot of things that make Branford special: being on Long Island Sound with its many beaches and islets (the Thimble Islands are just off shore, a great tourist attraction), its beautiful downtown square (green), the Blackstone Library (one of the prettiest and best anywhere), quick access to New Haven and Yale, Foote Park, and its many and varied neighborhoods - ranging from exclusive Pine Orchard to funky little neighborhoods in Short Beach, Indian Neck, and Stony Creek.
What Is Not Special about Branford
Real estate is expensive, CT is a high tax state.
Who Will Like Retirement in Branford
People who want to live in a pretty town along the Shoreline with easy access to New Haven and NYC will like it here.
Local Economy Is Driven by
There is some manufacturing, medical offices, retail, and even some tourism that keep the economy going. But this is primarily a suburban town.
Climate and Physical Environment
Branford is located on Long Island Sound east of New Haven (towards Boston). The average January temp is in the low 30's and the average July temp is in the mid 70s.
Restaurants & Cultural Scene
The Stony Creek Museum offers concerts. Branford has a wide range of restaurants of many types and price ranges. Le Petit Cafe dowtown is highly rated, Jalapeno Heaven is small and interesting Mexican restaurant. Harrison House and Museum is a 1724 structure, one of many historic buildings in this town (first settled in 1638). The beautiful Blackstone Library is active and well-funded. Foote Park has an amazing collection of Har-Tru tennis courts for public use.
Crime
The crime rate is about half the national average.
Medical facilities
It is just a short drive to New Haven where Yale-New Haven Hospital and St. Raphaels provide world class medical care. The area has a plethora of every type of leading medical specialists.
Transportation
Bus service runs along Route 1 between Old Saybrook and New Haven. The Shoreline East stops here on the way to Old Saybrook or New Haven. You can change trains in either to get to New York or Boston. Nearby Tweed Airport provides limited commercial service, mostly to Philadephia. The Shoreline Greenway Trail runs through most of train, some of it quite scenically.
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