OT: how would you compare living in CT to PA?

[Ranger Dan]

i‘m interested overall statewide, but the hypothetical relocation would be to a place called Colechester (southeast of Hartford). Obviously I can look up cost of living and other metrics. What about the political temperature? Are the roads and highways sized appropriately or is the a lot of traffic and grid lock? Other than being further away from State College, are there any other pros and cons to consider?

 

[bkmtnittany1]

RT 84 sucks!!!!

 

[lionville]

check out cost of utilities. My brother is whining all the time about them.

 

[psuro]

You better become a fan of the Sawks.

I get the impression Ct was a far more solid blue this election than Pa was.

 

[psu00]

Had family living near New Haven. They didn’t like it. High cost of living and not the greatest area. Driving to Boston on 95 is pretty congested and a mess at times (but that can likely be said about anywhere on 95).

 

[PSUfiji]

I always found CityData.com to have voluminous info about various American towns and cities.

https://www.city-data.com/city/Colchester-Connecticut.html

Then you can search the site's state forum section to find any discussions pertaining to the area in question, or start a new discussion with your question. Locals are usually very helpful (and many times a RE agent hoping to gain you as a client)
Connecticut Forum - Relocation, Moving, General and Local City Discussions - City-Data Forum (city-data.com)

 

[BW Lion]

Are the roads and highways sized appropriately

My experience is that the lanes in CT are as least as wide as those in PA.

You should have no concerns relocating to the Constitution State.

 

[Nitwit]

I believe Colechester is a nice town and fairly close to the coast, so it would be very different from PA. I know West Hartford is very trendy and a nice place to live, shop, and dine out. New Haven has some sketchy areas and of course home to Yale University. The closer to the coast and New York City, the more congested and expensive it becomes. The NYC suburban towns are very affluent. There are many beautiful New England towns though and a lot of green space. If you can avoid I95 and some deteriorating old mill towns, it’s a beautiful State with a high standard of living. It’s perhaps the wealthiest state in the country.

 

[Lemmus]

I'm a State College native who has lived outside of Hartford for a decade. How close to Colchester (correct spelling) do you want to be and what kind of town are you looking for? Nightlife or close to nature? Near the coast or in the hills? kids or no kids? diverse community or as homogenous as State College? Do you want to be near Amtrak to get to nyc and boston? So many questions!

 

[fastlax16]

F Connecticut . Parents moved there my junior year and I spent two years there out of college and was miserable. I’ve moved around quite a bit and Connecticut is by far my least favorite. It’s the land between nyc and Boston.

 

[87 Penn St8]

Raised in PA, lived in Fairfield County for 6 years (1996-2002), moved back to hometown and couldn't be happier. Fairfield County is its own world, and most who live there will gladly tell you about it. Beautiful coastline, cute towns, but only for those who can afford it. We lived in the Rowayton hamlet with the city of Norwalk. Wonderful place if you ever want to stop by. In my limited time I'd say the rest of the state seemed a lot like other Mid Atlantic states. Hartford with Insurance appears to be a lot like Wilmington, DE with banking. Stodgy businesses, some tall buildings, but not much of a soul. I had a work colleague from West Hartford...my impression was Main Line. His dad was an Insurance Lawyer and mom an art instructor at Miss Porter's girls prep school. He loved that town. CT is not all ESPN, Yale and prepped. Many of the small cities are like those in PA...Chester/Bridgeport, Danbury/ Wilkes Barre etc. There is access to Nosh Wash via car or train. Access to mountains, rivers, lakes and the Sound. Vermont is not far at all up 91. Seems like you may have a job opportunity there. If the position is right, then CT shouldn't hold you back.

 

[Ranger Dan]

I'm a State College native who has lived outside of Hartford for a decade. How close to Colchester (correct spelling) do you want to be and what kind of town are you looking for? Nightlife or close to nature? Near the coast or in the hills? kids or no kids? diverse community or as homogenous as State College? Do you want to be near Amtrak to get to nyc and boston? So many questions!

It’s just a conversation now, but my wife’s best friend is moving from VT back to CT to care for her aging parents. The parents currently live on a property with house, barn, and 20 wooded acres. Wife’s friend doesn’t want to live on the property, and has offered to sell to us for very reasonable price. So, it’s not where in CT do I want to live, but do i want to live in Colchester.

 

[Ranger Dan]

My experience is that the lanes in CT are as least as wide as those in PA.

What I meant is whether there were enough traffic lanes on the highways. In general is there a lot of traffic congestion?

 

[Creek Side]

The parents currently live on a property with house, barn, and 20 wooded acres. Wife’s friend doesn’t want to live on the property, and has offered to sell to us for very reasonable price.

Land. They aren't making much of that anymore. Buy it if it's cheap.

 

[JoeFi]

Land. They aren't making much of that anymore. Buy it if it's cheap.

i lived in northeast Ct. from 1980 until 1997, then Massachusetts for 17 years before retiring to Bethlehem, Pa. area.
The climate is slightly cooler which makes a difference from Bethlehem during winter.
Connecticut taxes and state level debt are ridiculous.
1) State income tax 6.99 vs 3.07 in Pa.
2). Gas tax is among highest in country
3) hidden taxes on various services and products
4) taxes on IRA accounts, Pa. does not tax IRA withdrawals
5). The state has increased taxes over last 20 years and driven businesses out of state.
6). Estate taxes are higher.
7). State is similar to Pa. but more democratic lean.
8) Hartford is way stop relatively boring city compared to Boston or New York
9) like any state there are some attractive areas and some crappy towns / cities

 

[Ct. Lion]

A lot of good info already. I moved to Ct. in 1984 after living in Jersey, NYC, Jersey again, then Buffalo NY, and off to Ct. Ct. is small but more rural than you would think. If you leave the coast, I95 and I84 you are in rural areas almost immediately. Yet NYC and Boston are easily accessible.
It is the most blue state in the Republic. Both Senators, all House Reps, the state legislature in both the house and senate, the Governor, the AG, the Secretary of State, etc. It has been mismanaged financially and has a lot of debt issues including reserves for state employee pensions, etc.
So it is expensive when you add up all of the taxes and other ways the state can get money from you.
I am in northern Fairfield County and housing is still "reasonable" compared to the southern part of the county but compared to NY and NJ the one thing that is cheaper are local taxes.
The rural roads are narrow, hilly and winding.
For those who fish and hunt it is actually kind of a sportsmen's paradise. There are a ton of glacial lakes, impoundments, reservoirs, other natural lakes, large rivers like the Housatonic, Connecticut, Thames, etc. You have saltwater fishing in LI Sound which is extremely good for many species and then all of this freshwater for trout, salmon, bass, pike, walleye, anadromous species like shad, stripers, herring, etc.
Deer hunting can be exceptional and there are lots of public lands. Bow season is Sept. 15 - January 30 with six tags, as an example. It is not a one buck state like Pa., with all tags state and private you could take a half dozen bucks but no one does and some areas have years where there is almost no limit on does if you bother to check them in and access replacement tags.
There are also bear and moose but no seasons.
We go to Florida for the winter so we escape the winter but being close to the sea the weather is rather moderate especially along the coast. Colchester is going to have a more moderate winter than the northwestern Ct. hill country.
I would jump all over the deal in Colchester. I don't know your lifestyle but an old New England farm house style main building along with a barn and 20 acres is really big money in Fairfield County and if you can move laterally into this setup due to advantageous pricing I would grab it. Take a long weekend road trip and see the area and good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[87 Penn St8]

i lived in northeast Ct. from 1980 until 1997, then Massachusetts for 17 years before retiring to Bethlehem, Pa. area.
The climate is slightly cooler which makes a difference from Bethlehem during winter.
Connecticut taxes and state level debt are ridiculous.
1) State income tax 6.99 vs 3.07 in Pa.
2). Gas tax is among highest in country
3) hidden taxes on various services and products
4) taxes on IRA accounts, Pa. does not tax IRA withdrawals
5). The state has increased taxes over last 20 years and driven businesses out of state.
6). Estate taxes are higher.
7). State is similar to Pa. but more democratic lean.
8) Hartford is way stop relatively boring city compared to Boston or New York
9) like any state there are some attractive areas and some crappy towns / cities

All of this is true. The gas prices are crazy- and is one of the few "clues" that you can overtly see. Living in the City of Norwalk my annual taxes were in the ballpark of $10,000/year for a property bought at $350k. My boss lived in the Old Greenwich part of Greenwich, one lot above the Sound, next door to Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford. His annual tax bill was only $2,500 on a multi million dollar property. Why? Norwalk is a City with 77,000 people and lots of Social Services. Many Greenwich residents don't even send their kids to the outstanding public schools there- private schools like Brunswick (where #6 Johnson WR from UM went) and King-Low Heyward Thomas in Stamford (where Silas Redd went) or Greens Farms Academy in Westport tend to dominate for the upper/upper class of Fairfield County. I don't know Colchester- but from the location it appears to be a rural suburban area commutable to Hartford with lots of nature. Access for you to Uncasville/New London if you head East for work would eliminate the I 91 headache (every time I've travelled it there has been delays- no matter the hour). The concept of getting a great real estate deal and then working to live as opposed to working to pay your mortgage is something that my bride and I are strongly considering. Almost the same dynamic as your situation, except we would be heading South. Her best friend owns an amazing waterfront property on Lake Hickory, NC with all of the bells and whistles (beach, huge boat house) etc. Since we lost our daughter they have been imploring us to move down by them- and they are willing to build a home for us to our specs- and we would only pay utilities and taxes. I would also act as caretaker for their broader property- and either teach at a high school or college locally or maybe we would start a business like a car wash (think Breaking Bad!) The cost of living is much lower that Chester County- where our education salaries barely pace with inflation (if they do at all). My wife is 2 years from being able to retire with full benefits from UPenn. If we stay here I may end up working until I'm 70 : ( Our friends in NC do have an adult child in town who just had a baby, along with two elementary school aged step daughters- my wife is already referred to as a third grandmother. We are actively exploring options with our financial planners- and in fact have a meeting next week. There is a "cut and run" option that could come into play March 2022. If schools continue to be virtual- we may just go for it! By my estimate you appear to be younger than me. We left the "rat race" of NYC and CT when I was in my late 30s. Best thing we ever did. There is so much more to life than commuting and working. If you love the property- then make it yours. What do you have to lose?

 

[Ranger Dan]

A lot of good info already. I moved to Ct. in 1984 after living in Jersey, NYC, Jersey again, then Buffalo NY, and off to Ct. Ct. is small but more rural than you would think. If you leave the coast, I95 and I84 you are in rural areas almost immediately. Yet NYC and Boston are easily accessible.
It is the most blue state in the Republic. Both Senators, all House Reps, the state legislature in both the house and senate, the Governor, the AG, the Secretary of State, etc. It has been mismanaged financially and has a lot of debt issues including reserves for state employee pensions, etc.
So it is expensive when you add up all of the taxes and other ways the state can get money from you.
I am in northern Fairfield County and housing is still "reasonable" compared to the southern part of the county but compared to NY and NJ the one thing that is cheaper are local taxes.
The rural roads are narrow, hilly and winding.
For those who fish and hunt it is actually kind of a sportsmen's paradise. There are a ton of glacial lakes, impoundments, reservoirs, other natural lakes, large rivers like the Housatonic, Connecticut, Thames, etc. You have saltwater fishing in LI Sound which is extremely good for many species and then all of this freshwater for trout, salmon, bass, pike, walleye, anadromous species like shad, stripers, herring, etc.
Deer hunting can be exceptional and there are lots of public lands. Bow season is Sept. 15 - January 30 with six tags, as an example. It is not a one buck state like Pa., with all tags state and private you could take a half dozen bucks but no one does and some areas have years where there is almost no limit on does if you bother to check them in and access replacement tags.
There are also bear and moose but no seasons.
We go to Florida for the winter so we escape the winter but being close to the sea the weather is rather moderate especially along the coast. Colchester is going to have a more moderate winter than the northwestern Ct. hill country.
I would jump all over the deal in Colchester. I don't know your lifestyle but an old New England farm house style main building along with a barn and 20 acres is really big money in Fairfield County and if you can move laterally into this setup due to advantageous pricing I would grab it. Take a long weekend road trip and see the area and good luck with whatever you decide.

I do hunt and fish and being able to hunt on my own land excites me. I’m worried about my two bird dogs though. In addition to PA game commission stocked pheasants, there are a half dozen game preserves that I can take my dogs to hunt where I live now.

 

[Ranger Dan]

All of this is true. The gas prices are crazy- and is one of the few "clues" that you can overtly see. Living in the City of Norwalk my annual taxes were in the ballpark of $10,000/year for a property bought at $350k. My boss lived in the Old Greenwich part of Greenwich, one lot above the Sound, next door to Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford. His annual tax bill was only $2,500 on a multi million dollar property. Why? Norwalk is a City with 77,000 people and lots of Social Services. Many Greenwich residents don't even send their kids to the outstanding public schools there- private schools like Brunswick (where #6 Johnson WR from UM went) and King-Low Heyward Thomas in Stamford (where Silas Redd went) or Greens Farms Academy in Westport tend to dominate for the upper/upper class of Fairfield County. I don't know Colchester- but from the location it appears to be a rural suburban area commutable to Hartford with lots of nature. Access for you to Uncasville/New London if you head East for work would eliminate the I 91 headache (every time I've travelled it there has been delays- no matter the hour). The concept of getting a great real estate deal and then working to live as opposed to working to pay your mortgage is something that my bride and I are strongly considering. Almost the same dynamic as your situation, except we would be heading South. Her best friend owns an amazing waterfront property on Lake Hickory, NC with all of the bells and whistles (beach, huge boat house) etc. Since we lost our daughter they have been imploring us to move down by them- and they are willing to build a home for us to our specs- and we would only pay utilities and taxes. I would also act as caretaker for their broader property- and either teach at a high school or college locally or maybe we would start a business like a car wash (think Breaking Bad!) The cost of living is much lower that Chester County- where our education salaries barely pace with inflation (if they do at all). My wife is 2 years from being able to retire with full benefits from UPenn. If we stay here I may end up working until I'm 70 : ( Our friends in NC do have an adult child in town who just had a baby, along with two elementary school aged step daughters- my wife is already referred to as a third grandmother. We are actively exploring options with our financial planners- and in fact have a meeting next week. There is a "cut and run" option that could come into play March 2022. If schools continue to be virtual- we may just go for it! By my estimate you appear to be younger than me. We left the "rat race" of NYC and CT when I was in my late 30s. Best thing we ever did. There is so much more to life than commuting and working. If you love the property- then make it yours. What do you have to lose?

It sounds like you have a real sweet offer down in NC. Our opportunity isnt being gifted to us, but we could avoid paying a real estate agent and likely get it below market. I’m 53 and my wife is 46. There would be more jobs in CT or commutable from there. My wife wants to retire but we can’t afford that. She could try for a HS guidance counselor position or maybe something else.

 

[87 Penn St8]

It sounds like you have a real sweet offer down in NC. Our opportunity isnt being gifted to us, but we could avoid paying a real estate agent and likely get it below market. I’m 53 and my wife is 46. There would be more jobs in CT or commutable from there. My wife wants to retire but we can’t afford that. She could try for a HS guidance counselor position or maybe something else.

There is a personal pride part of us that doesn't want to take "charity"- but our friends are already wealthy and (unfortunately) likely to be inheriting a lot of money soon with 2 aging parents- who also live in that town. One of my PSU buddies lives in Fripp Island, SC and has a future son-in-law who is a charter boat captain- and my buddy has his license along with an apartment over his garage for me to bunk in. They also are exploring mountain properties in the Boone, NC area as a second home- so I could help check up on that too. So yeah- "America's Guest" could be a really neat "job!" We'll see. My mom lives where I do- and I love my home and community. I will be buried here and my name is already on the tombstone next to my daughter. My wife is 58, I'm 55. How to maximize the next 15 years is the riddle. I wish you and your wife happy hunting!

 

[Ct. Lion]

Ct. stocks pheasants on public lands in both the western and eastern districts (Ct. River is the divide). There are also private shooting preserves in Ct. Here is a few of them. https://www.ultimatepheasanthunting.com/usa/connecticut/
Then there are pheasant farms where you can purchase birds for release. 20 acres is not a lot of land but if you rock them to sleep you can get one flush before they are on someone else's property. Or you could do a small addition to the backside of your new barn and buy day-old pheasant chicks and raise your own birds.
Before predators populated again the Colchester area had wild pheasant and it is good for woodcock. Grouse are basically gone from Ct. now as they are in certain areas of Pa. That is a predator problem. You are close to the Sound so there is sea duck hunting and Ct. is loaded with swamps left over from glacial activity which are great for puddle ducks.
I can almost guarantee that there is a rut line running through your new 20 acres and Colchester has a good deer herd. There are also many gun clubs in Ct. and enough around your new area with some having openings. Finally, we have a very active internet site called CtFisherman.com which has many threads about all kinds of hunting and fishing. There is even an off-shore thread where the boats from the Ct. River and Thames River head for the Gulf Stream summer eddies and fish for tuna, swordfish, sharks, etc. http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/forum_summary
The best saltwater fishing in Ct. is from the Ct. River east to the Rhode Island shore and over to Fishers Island. Then there is Block Island. There is actually no where in the U.S. that combines both pelagic and local saltwater fishing along with both cold water and warm water freshwater fishing in one small area like Ct.
Hope that helps.

 

[Ranger Dan]

There is a personal pride part of us that doesn't want to take "charity"- but our friends are already wealthy and (unfortunately) likely to be inheriting a lot of money soon with 2 aging parents- who also live in that town. One of my PSU buddies lives in Fripp Island, SC and has a future son-in-law who is a charter boat captain- and my buddy has his license along with an apartment over his garage for me to bunk in. They also are exploring mountain properties in the Boone, NC area as a second home- so I could help check up on that too. So yeah- "America's Guest" could be a really neat "job!" We'll see. My mom lives where I do- and I love my home and community. I will be buried here and my name is already on the tombstone next to my daughter. My wife is 58, I'm 55. How to maximize the next 15 years is the riddle. I wish you and your wife happy hunting!

You would have my dream job, almost. A buddy I used to work with moved to Montana. He ended up working on Ted Turners ranch. He joked that his job was to keep other people from hunting elk there, so he could hunt them. I really want to move to Montana, but my wife wants to stay reasonably close to her aging parents. The jobs in my area of expertise (medical device quality) are few and far between in Montana and moving to another field would not allow me to retain the lifestyle that I’ve become accustomed to. Colorado would be a compromis, but not as exciting. I’d be happy staring in PA if we could get more land, but my wife loves our house.

 

[Ranger Dan]

Ct. stocks pheasants on public lands in both the western and eastern districts (Ct. River is the divide). There are also private shooting preserves in Ct. Here is a few of them. https://www.ultimatepheasanthunting.com/usa/connecticut/
Then there are pheasant farms where you can purchase birds for release. 20 acres is not a lot of land but if you rock them to sleep you can get one flush before they are on someone else's property. Or you could do a small addition to the backside of your new barn and buy day-old pheasant chicks and raise your own birds.
Before predators populated again the Colchester area had wild pheasant and it is good for woodcock. Grouse are basically gone from Ct. now as they are in certain areas of Pa. That is a predator problem. You are close to the Sound so there is sea duck hunting and Ct. is loaded with swamps left over from glacial activity which are great for puddle ducks.
I can almost guarantee that there is a rut line running through your new 20 acres and Colchester has a good deer herd. There are also many gun clubs in Ct. and enough around your new area with some having openings. Finally, we have a very active internet site called CtFisherman.com which has many threads about all kinds of hunting and fishing. There is even an off-shore thread where the boats from the Ct. River and Thames River head for the Gulf Stream summer eddies and fish for tuna, swordfish, sharks, etc. http://www.ctfisherman.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/forum_summary
The best saltwater fishing in Ct. is from the Ct. River east to the Rhode Island shore and over to Fishers Island. Then there is Block Island. There is actually no where in the U.S. that combines both pelagic and local saltwater fishing along with both cold water and warm water freshwater fishing in one small area like Ct.
Hope that helps.

I’m looking to do some striped bass surf fishing and gather that CT is a good spot for that...

 

[Delco Lion]

So what are the annual taxes on the property? Are both of you looking to make a move with no jobs lined up? Sounds risky in these times.

 

[Ct. Lion]

The Ct. shoreline is dotted with state parks and public access but in general, the Ct. shoreline has a lot more private areas due to no public access points to the inter-tidal zone which is state land. The best surf fishing for stripers would be along the western RI beaches from Watch Hill on the Ct. border going east to the western shore of Narragansett Bay. Plenty of public access along these RI stretches. Besides stripers, you can catch blues, weakfish, porgies, fluke, winter flounder, blackfish aka tautog, and other species in season. CtFisherman.com has a surf fishing thread. Join for $15 bucks a year and post that you are new and need some surf fishing info on access and spots from the Ct. River going east to Narragansett Bay and you will get PMs with more info than you have time to do.
Surf fishing is one of my passions, I had a summer place in Montauk and always took off one week in early October for surf fishing the fall migrations of stripers and blues. The areas from the RI coast to Block Island to Montauk are one of the country's legendary surf fishing areas and the striper migration rivals anything you could find along the Atlantic coast.

 

[87 Penn St8]

I’m looking to do some striped bass surf fishing and gather that CT is a good spot for that...

I wasn't much of a fisherman at the time, but there was a sales rep for a very prominent magazine who lived near us. He was from Louisiana and an avid outdoorsman. He had a nice little Boston Whaler and he would routinely go fishing in the early morning hours on the Sound- and then be on the 7:05 train into NYC. You'd be able to get to Stonington or even Westerly, RI pretty easily- but seasonal traffic could be a problem. Agree with Delco that having a stable job right now is a blessing- but the opportunity to have your own "dream property" and pretty easy access to a lot of public areas of interest line up nicely in Colchester. Elements of risk for sure- but a good "problem" to have!

 

[HartfordLlion]

I wasn't much of a fisherman at the time, but there was a sales rep for a very prominent magazine who lived near us. He was from Louisiana and an avid outdoorsman. He had a nice little Boston Whaler and he would routinely go fishing in the early morning hours on the Sound- and then be on the 7:05 train into NYC. You'd be able to get to Stonington or even Westerly, RI pretty easily- but seasonal traffic could be a problem. Agree with Delco that having a stable job right now is a blessing- but the opportunity to have your own "dream property" and pretty easy access to a lot of public areas of interest line up nicely in Colchester. Elements of risk for sure- but a good "problem" to have!

Buy a boat or make friends with some one who has one. Saltwater shore fishing pretty much sucks in CT. Trout fishing stacks up nicely with PA. A bunch of nice streams around Colchester area.

 

[HartfordLlion]

All of this is true. The gas prices are crazy- and is one of the few "clues" that you can overtly see. Living in the City of Norwalk my annual taxes were in the ballpark of $10,000/year for a property bought at $350k. My boss lived in the Old Greenwich part of Greenwich, one lot above the Sound, next door to Frank and Kathie Lee Gifford. His annual tax bill was only $2,500 on a multi million dollar property. Why? Norwalk is a City with 77,000 people and lots of Social Services. Many Greenwich residents don't even send their kids to the outstanding public schools there- private schools like Brunswick (where #6 Johnson WR from UM went) and King-Low Heyward Thomas in Stamford (where Silas Redd went) or Greens Farms Academy in Westport tend to dominate for the upper/upper class of Fairfield County. I don't know Colchester- but from the location it appears to be a rural suburban area commutable to Hartford with lots of nature. Access for you to Uncasville/New London if you head East for work would eliminate the I 91 headache (every time I've travelled it there has been delays- no matter the hour). The concept of getting a great real estate deal and then working to live as opposed to working to pay your mortgage is something that my bride and I are strongly considering. Almost the same dynamic as your situation, except we would be heading South. Her best friend owns an amazing waterfront property on Lake Hickory, NC with all of the bells and whistles (beach, huge boat house) etc. Since we lost our daughter they have been imploring us to move down by them- and they are willing to build a home for us to our specs- and we would only pay utilities and taxes. I would also act as caretaker for their broader property- and either teach at a high school or college locally or maybe we would start a business like a car wash (think Breaking Bad!) The cost of living is much lower that Chester County- where our education salaries barely pace with inflation (if they do at all). My wife is 2 years from being able to retire with full benefits from UPenn. If we stay here I may end up working until I'm 70 : ( Our friends in NC do have an adult child in town who just had a baby, along with two elementary school aged step daughters- my wife is already referred to as a third grandmother. We are actively exploring options with our financial planners- and in fact have a meeting next week. There is a "cut and run" option that could come into play March 2022. If schools continue to be virtual- we may just go for it! By my estimate you appear to be younger than me. We left the "rat race" of NYC and CT when I was in my late 30s. Best thing we ever did. There is so much more to life than commuting and working. If you love the property- then make it yours. What do you have to lose?

Gas prices in the Hartford area are actually a good 20 to 40 cents cheaper than PA (Erie) as of a couple of weeks ago. Colcherster is a very nice area, somewhat rural, mostly wooded. Not much night life in the immediate area nor are there a ton of nice resturants. School system is good if that matters, good park and recs for the kids. If you are the outdoorsly type it would be a good fit. Like everywhere in CT taxes are high, housing costs are high, food costs are higher. If the poster is going to inherit a house/land taxes are going to be the biggest sticker shock. Political climate, it's definitely more blue than PA but once you get away from the big inner citie areas it's a lot closer to a 50/50 split than most would expect.

 

[Ranger Dan]

So what are the annual taxes on the property? Are both of you looking to make a move with no jobs lined up? Sounds risky in these times.

This is likely a couple of years away, if it ever happens. I’m just looking for red flags to say no now.

 

[Ranger Dan]

I just checked out CT gun laws... no “assault weapons” and a permit for the privilege of owning a handgun. I’ll pass.

 

[HartfordLlion]

I just checked out CT gun laws... no “assault weapons” and a permit for the privilege of owning a handgun. I’ll pass.

Need a permit for a hand gun. It's not hard to get it with a clean record. Assault weapon, in general, if you own one you be grandfathered in.

 

[Ranger Dan]

Need a permit for a hand gun. It's not hard to get it with a clean record. Assault weapon, in general, if you own one you be grandfathered in.

Does that mean I could bring it into the state?

 

[The Spin Meister]

It’s just a conversation now, but my wife’s best friend is moving from VT back to CT to care for her aging parents. The parents currently live on a property with house, barn, and 20 wooded acres. Wife’s friend doesn’t want to live on the property, and has offered to sell to us for very reasonable price. So, it’s not where in CT do I want to live, but do i want to live in Colchester.

Twenty acres there will be worth a lotta mullah in ten years, much more than now. As people flee the cities and working from home is more accepted that 20 wooded acres will be prime.

But buying from friend.......does that come with an anchor? If you sell for a couple mil in five or ten years will it cost you and the wife good friends? Giving you a below market price may come with expectations.

 

[Ct. Lion]

Back when these laws were enacted after the Sandy Hook tragedy there was a period of time when you could register them and keep them. I am not sure what the status is now. There are certain earlier models of the AR 15s that are still legal and able to be purchased in Ct. The Ct. State Police are responsible for this issue so you could call them or go to their website and search for the answers. Here is a link that might help you out. https://portal.ct.gov/DESPP/Division-of-State-Police/Special-Licensing-and-Firearms/Firearms
Here is a civilian organization that was formed to deal with the issues. They also have a resource list to broaden the scope of your research. https://www.ccdl.us/resource-links/
The best way to own handguns is to have a Ct. Concealed Carry Permit. That permits covers handguns, CC, shotguns and rifles and ammo. Whether you carry or not it is a good permit to have since it is a fully vetted ID. Then get a Florida non-resident permit and get reciprocal with about 30 other states and you have a lot of the country covered for ownership.
Bottom line, Ct. is not gun friendly but there are ways to work within the system. Keep in mind you can own anything that Ct. bans or controls if you simply keep it out of the state. Ct. has no control over what goes on in other states though the Feds have their own sets of laws to contend with too.

 

[Madsol]

This type of thread is one of the main reasons I really like this board. I have no intention of ever moving to CT but I've thoroughly enjoyed the posts in this thread.

 

[fkkkjm]

i lived in northeast Ct. from 1980 until 1997, then Massachusetts for 17 years before retiring to Bethlehem, Pa. area.
The climate is slightly cooler which makes a difference from Bethlehem during winter.
Connecticut taxes and state level debt are ridiculous.
1) State income tax 6.99 vs 3.07 in Pa.
2). Gas tax is among highest in country
3) hidden taxes on various services and products
4) taxes on IRA accounts, Pa. does not tax IRA withdrawals
5). The state has increased taxes over last 20 years and driven businesses out of state.
6). Estate taxes are higher.
7). State is similar to Pa. but more democratic lean.
8) Hartford is way stop relatively boring city compared to Boston or New York
9) like any state there are some attractive areas and some crappy towns / cities

How would you compare massachusetts to PA and CT? I am a PA native now in SE Mass and curious on your thoughts as a fellow PA/Mass guy

 

[SLion]

I live in Fairfield County now and echo the expense of living here. It is only slightly less crazy than NJ but nowhere near as bad as Westchester (20K tax on 600k smaller house). Stamford is nice little city, commutable to NYC. Stamford and Greenwich used to be the economic heart of state (probably still so) but have taken hits over last decade. I think UBS and RBS had US HQs in Stamford but exited mostly. Same with GE, Diageo, GE Capital and tons of hedge funds which have been lost over the years. I think Aetna HQ tried to leave but state but staying until 2027 or so. Hartford is very much tied to insurance industry and big govt contractors. Hartford city is not the best shape and I only go for concerts and occasional sporting event, UConn or lacrosse at Rentschler Field. Suburbs have some haughty spots like West Hartford. It seems like good quality of life if you can land a decent job in area. It is getting harder for sure. Overall, I like CT after stops in DC, NJ, NYC since leaving PSU. It is quiet and absolutely beautiful during fall. Lots of quaint drives with stone walls and rivers. Very rocky terrain which surprised me. Amazing boulders and formations all over the place though no mountains really. It is similar to Brandywine area of south PA. Chadds Ford is like Westport. Rich, some culture and quiet. LI sound is nice in summer with kids. I like it here though commuting on 95, Merritt Pwy and 84 are definitions of hell. No room to expand with all NIMBY laws.

 

[bdgan]

i‘m interested overall statewide, but the hypothetical relocation would be to a place called Colechester (southeast of Hartford). Obviously I can look up cost of living and other metrics. What about the political temperature? Are the roads and highways sized appropriately or is the a lot of traffic and grid lock? Other than being further away from State College, are there any other pros and cons to consider?

I don't know anything about Colechester but almost anything near Hartford is going to be more congested than anywhere in PA except Philadelphia or Pittsburgh.

CT has a 6.5% income tax vs 3.1% in PA. You also pay tax on your cars in CT.

 

[LMTLION]

This type of thread is one of the main reasons I really like this board. I have no intention of ever moving to CT but I've thoroughly enjoyed the posts in this thread.

Me too! I don’t know why the hell I read this thread either but I did. And now I don’t know if I am lucky to live in eastern PA or too poor to live in CT! Actually, I love living in the Lehigh Valley.

 

[Cold Smoke]

You would have my dream job, almost. A buddy I used to work with moved to Montana. He ended up working on Ted Turners ranch. He joked that his job was to keep other people from hunting elk there, so he could hunt them. I really want to move to Montana, but my wife wants to stay reasonably close to her aging parents. The jobs in my area of expertise (medical device quality) are few and far between in Montana and moving to another field would not allow me to retain the lifestyle that I’ve become accustomed to. Colorado would be a compromis, but not as exciting. I’d be happy staring in PA if we could get more land, but my wife loves our house.

Too late to move here anyway Dan. The last impediment to the total californication of Montana has been removed. We just legalized marijuana.