The Best Place To Live In Connecticut
Connecticut packs a lot into a relatively small and overlooked space. The Constitution State is a beautiful pivot point on the Northeastern seaboard. Simultaneously part of New York City's tri-state area, but also the southernmost state of New England, there's a choose-your-own-adventure element to Connecticut's easy access to the best of East Coast living. Historical clam chowder joints rub shoulders with equally historical "apizza" places; public transport links whisk commuters and partygoers into the metropolises in the blink of an eye; and more than 300 miles of Atlantic coastline, 100 State parks, and 2,000 miles of hiking trails connect Connecticutters to their idyllic countryside (via Mayflower).
Cos Cob, CT, is a microcosm of Connecticut itself, sitting in a slice of maritime beauty between two built-up areas. Technically a neighborhood of Greenwich, CT, although it has its own zip code and sense of small-town identity, Cos Cob lies on the west bank of the Mianus river, between Greenwich and Stamford. According to Christie's International Real Estate, the hamlet is mainly made up of large, leafy, single-family homes and has a reputation for stunning natural beauty but is only 45 minutes by train from Midtown Manhattan.
More than simply a well-located commuter town, this neighborhood is dripping with history and has a bright future ahead of it. Keep reading to find out why Cos Cob is the best place to live in Connecticut.
Small town in the heart of Greenwich
Although many people who live in Connecticut do so entirely because of the appeal of the state itself, it's impossible to deny the impact that New York City has had and continues to have on the economy and demographics of the state. The Gold Coast area, which includes Cos Cob, is home to some of the most concentrated wealth in America, according to Forbes, as people who have made incredible amounts of money in NYC move to the prettier, less crowded, but still accessible slice of the seaboard.
Lots of super-rich people buying houses and paying property taxes generally means that the schools are going to be fantastic, but the house prices are going to be impossible for most people to afford. This is why Cos Cob is such a compelling proposition. As Kathy Adams, a broker with Greenwich Fine Properties, explained to The Wall Street Journal back in 2012 — "it's not that it's an undesirable neighborhood; it's quite a convenient, nice neighborhood, it just has smaller houses, smaller lots."
Area Vibes ranked Old Greenwich (the other side of the river from Cos Cob) and Cos Cob as the #1 and #2 places to live in the state, respectively. However, Old Greenwich property prices are an eye-watering 429% over the state average, compared to Cos Cob's 268%. But crucially, residents of both places still enjoy the same amazing Greenwich Public School District, which is one of the top 1% in America, according to Niche.
Plenty of charm to go around
The culture of Cos Cob is a historical and geographical melting pot in its own unique way as well. For centuries, writers and artists have made Cos Cob their home — the most notable period being the Cos Cob Art Colony (1890-1920), where America's leading Impressionists would spend their summers painting, teaching, and discussing their art (via Greenwich Historical Society). Cos Cob was historical even then, with the name supposedly originating from the Coe family, who settled in the area in 1641 and built a sea wall from cob, which is compressed clay and straw. The area was known as Coe's Cob, eventually getting shortened to Cos Cob, according to Stanton House Inn.
Modern-day Cos Cob is thriving. An influx of young families to Cos Cob and the wider Greenwich area during the pandemic has seen a new wave of diverse and delicious food outlets opening in town, adding to an already solid base of neighborhood favorites, according to Greenwich Time.
The final thing to take into consideration about life in Cos Cob is its walkability. Steps to Suburbia said the biggest appeal of Cos Cob is how simple, safe, and convenient it is to walk to most of the local amenities and the beautiful waterfront. It's a small, yet significant thing, but Cos Cob is a nice town to walk around, and per The New York Times, it's something people love about living there.