Stamford CT

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are my options for how I want my kids to grow up?

Well, here are some basics:

-Darien, Westport, etc: your child will only know children of the elite, many kids will go to private school and prep school. You will be of below-average wealth.

-Ridgefield (and to some extent Wilton and Weston): your child will know children of the elite and the true middle class, everyone will send their kids to the public school. (This is one reason that the Ridgefield schools tend to be better than the richer schools to the south -- so many of those kids attend private school that public isn't as much of a priority.) You will be of average to above-average wealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are my options for how I want my kids to grow up?

Well, here are some basics:

-Darien, Westport, etc: your child will only know children of the elite, many kids will go to private school and prep school. You will be of below-average wealth.

-Ridgefield (and to some extent Wilton and Weston): your child will know children of the elite and the true middle class, everyone will send their kids to the public school. (This is one reason that the Ridgefield schools tend to be better than the richer schools to the south -- so many of those kids attend private school that public isn't as much of a priority.) You will be of average to above-average wealth.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are my options for how I want my kids to grow up?

Well, here are some basics:

-Darien, Westport, etc: your child will only know children of the elite, many kids will go to private school and prep school. You will be of below-average wealth.

-Ridgefield (and to some extent Wilton and Weston): your child will know children of the elite and the true middle class, everyone will send their kids to the public school. (This is one reason that the Ridgefield schools tend to be better than the richer schools to the south -- so many of those kids attend private school that public isn't as much of a priority.) You will be of average to above-average wealth.

Actually, many Westport kids do not attend prep/private, but go public.

-Westport/Betheda person

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are my options for how I want my kids to grow up?

Well, here are some basics:

-Darien, Westport, etc: your child will only know children of the elite, many kids will go to private school and prep school. You will be of below-average wealth.

-Ridgefield (and to some extent Wilton and Weston): your child will know children of the elite and the true middle class, everyone will send their kids to the public school. (This is one reason that the Ridgefield schools tend to be better than the richer schools to the south -- so many of those kids attend private school that public isn't as much of a priority.) You will be of average to above-average wealth.

Actually, many Westport kids do not attend prep/private, but go public.

-Westport/Betheda person

+1 everyone I know in Westport went public

[Anonymous]

I feel like lots of people in CT go prep though public schools are pretty good. The publics in CT might as well be private. I would say that parts of Fairfield county are very white and have a very white culture.

[Anonymous]

Lots of elite private schools in CT- Choate, Hotchkiss, Loomis, etc. -having attended one, not a lot of Westport/Wilton/Darien kids. Not sure if they go public.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in Stamford. I would love to get back there. I'm jealous OP.

A good friend of mine is a great real estate agent in Ridgefield, so if you decide to look there, post back here!

[Anonymous]

Weston or Wilton, hands down. Much less snooty and more housing inventory in your price range, though they also go up to the several millions. Weston schools are ranked the highest in CT. Both have more of a small town, family oriented feel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Weston or Wilton, hands down. Much less snooty and more housing inventory in your price range, though they also go up to the several millions. Weston schools are ranked the highest in CT. Both have more of a small town, family oriented feel.

PP Here - taxes are killer compared to DC suburbs. Weston in particular, but you get small classrooms and fantastic instructors in return.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are my options for how I want my kids to grow up?

Well, here are some basics:

-Darien, Westport, etc: your child will only know children of the elite, many kids will go to private school and prep school. You will be of below-average wealth.

-Ridgefield (and to some extent Wilton and Weston): your child will know children of the elite and the true middle class, everyone will send their kids to the public school. (This is one reason that the Ridgefield schools tend to be better than the richer schools to the south -- so many of those kids attend private school that public isn't as much of a priority.) You will be of average to above-average wealth.

Actually, many Westport kids do not attend prep/private, but go public.

-Westport/Betheda person

I agree. Schools there are excellent. Much better than MoCo.

[Anonymous]

OP, call Denise Doonanof Willaim Raevis. She's a friend of mine and she's been an agent for over 20 years. She grew up in Stamford and is in business with her mom. They cover all of the areas discussed here.
I do think that Weston or Wilton will get you more for your money, but they aren't beach towns and don't have the same community feels. It's more country for lack of a better word. I personally love it up there, though if definitely worry about being on the lower end of the economic scale.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for all the replies! We are excited to look into this very interesting opportunity!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, call Denise Doonanof Willaim Raevis. She's a friend of mine and she's been an agent for over 20 years. She grew up in Stamford and is in business with her mom. They cover all of the areas discussed here.
I do think that Weston or Wilton will get you more for your money, but they aren't beach towns and don't have the same community feels. It's more country for lack of a better word. I personally love it up there, though if definitely worry about being on the lower end of the economic scale.

I can't believe Weston or Wilton would be called "lower end of the economic scale."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, call Denise Doonanof Willaim Raevis. She's a friend of mine and she's been an agent for over 20 years. She grew up in Stamford and is in business with her mom. They cover all of the areas discussed here.
I do think that Weston or Wilton will get you more for your money, but they aren't beach towns and don't have the same community feels. It's more country for lack of a better word. I personally love it up there, though if definitely worry about being on the lower end of the economic scale.

I can't believe Weston or Wilton would be called "lower end of the economic scale."

I think she meant that OP would be on the lower end with that housing budget.

[Anonymous]

I grew up in southern CT. I recommend Fairfield over the other towns if you want "name brand" but slightly less expensive. Also consider going inland - Danbury and Bethel are lovely and they are cheaper. You can commute by train (hour + change) from either of those as well. Still will need to change trains in Norwalk.