From classic Cape Cods to industrial warehouses turned modern apartments, Bridgeport’s housing stock is varied and growing. Homes closer to the city center are usually smaller, with traditional three-bedroom colonial builds often selling between $250,000 and $400,000. Some older homes show off decorative Queen Anne-inspired flair with bay window-clad towers and wraparound porches, while others display a more modern simplicity. Neighborhoods like West End-West Side are filled with simpler multifamily properties, which once housed factory workers but have since been turned into rental properties. Many downtown buildings have also been turned into duplexes or rentals to accommodate a growing student population, and the Bridgeport Building Department plans to continue transforming unused industrial warehouses into luxury apartments. The city’s most expensive homes include $2 million shingled, coastal estates along the Long Island Sound in coveted communities such as Black Rock, but these are few and far between.
In recent years, Bridgeport has seen a steady increase in home prices, with competitive listings increasing by nearly 10% in 2023. Home values have also increased by a remarkable 9%, according to a market report by Norada Real Estate Investments. These trends are likely to continue as the city moves forward with downtown revitalization, making this an attractive area for commuters looking for proximity to employment hubs in Manhattan, New Haven and Hartford, which often feature more expensive real estate.
Historic multifamily homes in West End-West Side, attract both investors and families.
West End features charming Victorian multi-family homes from the 19th century.
Downtown Bridgeport features 20th-century condos for urban living.
The western part of Black Rock offers a beach and a scenic walk or drive by the ocean.
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Creative growth in the largest city in Connecticut
There’s a renaissance of sorts happening in Bridgeport, bringing new life to one of the Northeast’s most productive industrial regions of the 20th century. “Through most of the 1900s, Bridgeport was a vibrant, industrial town,” says Marc Walowitz, a Bridgeport native who’s also a Realtor with Equity Realty Group. Major companies like General Electric, Remington Arms and Singer Corporation all had substantial operations in the city. “In the ‘80s, most of the companies relocated offshore or moved operations down south, and the economy took a turn for the worst,” Walowitz says.
It’s taken 40 years, but Bridgeport is seeing much-needed redevelopment. Warehouses that once manufactured gramophone records or lipstick cases now cater to college students with spacious apartments, while a growing walkable arts district attracts young creatives. Currently, Bridgeport is well-known for its expansive parks, waterside recreation and colorful downtown. The cost of living sits about 4% higher than the national average but still lower than Connecticut's overall, making the city an affordable option for commuters willing to make the 60-mile trek to Manhattan. The population has remained steady at about 148,000 since 2022, but officials expect to see that number increase in the next decade as the city continues to reinvigorate its once-bustling industrial sectors.
Discover the vibrant blend of art, history, and modern living in Downtown Bridgeport.
Explore murals that decorate the streets of Downtown Bridgeport, by Endangered Styles Mural Co.
Fayerweather Lighthouse marks the entrance to Black Rock Harbor in the South End.
Downtown Bridgeport’s skyline includes historic churches and high-rises.
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STEM magnet programs at the Bridgeport Public School District
Many students attend Bridgeport Public Schools, which earns an overall C rating from Niche and caters to nearly 20,000 kids across the city. The district maintains a series of STEM-based magnet schools, including the Fairchild Wheeler Interdistrict Multi-Magnet Campus. Here, students can apply to attend one of three B-plus-rated high school programs focusing on aerospace engineering, zoological sciences or software engineering.
After high school, some students may continue their education at CT State Community College Housatonic, which sits in the heart of downtown and features the Housatonic Museum of Art and Sculpture Garden. Others may pursue a degree at the University of Bridgeport, which is well-known for its nursing program. Graduates often accept positions at Bridgeport Hospital, which has an affiliation with Yale New Haven Health, or St. Vincent’s Medical Center. Both are top employers in the city.
The district maintains a series of magnet schools, including the Fairchild Wheeler School.
Roosevelt School in Downtown Bridgeport serves grades K-8.
Bassick High School in Downtown Bridgeport offer a variety of career programs for students.
Housatonic Community College in Downtown Bridgeport features an art museum.
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Nightlife hotspots and daily essentials
For many residents, particularly those in the Black Rock neighborhood, evenings are often spent on Fairfield Avenue, which is home to the lively Park City Music Hall and a host of popular restaurants. Closer to downtown, Brewport Brewing honors the city’s industrial history with a spacious warehouse dining room and views of towering brew kettles. As winter wanes, crowds pack into the waterside Boca Oyster Bar, where they can shop and eat seafood next to the marina. Nearby, locals hunt for antique finds at Mongers Market, a flea market that’s open on Sundays. “The market is a good example of the redevelopment happening in Bridgeport, since it’s an old warehouse that’s now a popular shopping destination,” Walowitz says.
When it comes to shopping for essentials, residents of the city’s North End will find grocery and retail options along Main Street. It’s also a short drive north to Trumbull Mall or the Stop & Shop across from Elton Rogers Woodland Park. Additional independent grocers offer walkable options for residents of the city’s South End, while the Whole Foods Market off Kings Highway is an option just off U.S. Route 1.
Enjoy a variety of dining options on Fairfield Avenue in Black Rock, Bridgeport.
Brewport Brewing Co. offers an industrial-style setting in Downtown Bridgeport.
Mongers Market in West End opens every Sunday and features vintage clothes and home goods.
A large Stop & Shop provides the North End with an abundance of options for home cooking.
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Commuter trains and major interstates connect residents to New York City
Peppered with pocket parks and featuring wide, tree-lined sidewalks, downtown Bridgeport is accessible on foot. “With the uptick of remote work, you’ll see people walking on the streets all day now,” Walowitz says. However, with few bike lanes in the city, cycling along main roads is less practical. Commuters rely on cars or Greater Bridgeport Transit’s buses to navigate the city.
Interstate 95 and U.S. Route 1 carve through Bridgeport, connecting drivers to notable cities in lower Fairfield County, like Stamford, Darien, New Canaan and Greenwich. New York City is about a 60-mile drive southwest on Interstate 95, while New Haven is 20 miles northeast. Most people take the train, however. To reach Manhattan, commuters can board the New Haven line through the Metro-North Railroad to reach Grand Central Terminal in about an hour and a half. Currently, Bridgeport's only train station is downtown; it planned to open an east side station in 2021, but the project was postponed indefinitely in 2019. “With our growth, we hope to get the second train station built soon,” Walowitz says.
The Bridgeport & Port Jefferson Ferry provides an option for those looking to get their vehicle across the Sound, while major highways such as Interstate 95 make driving along the East Coast easy. The Bridgeport Municipal Airport doesn’t offer many passenger flights, so most flyers head north to Tweed New Haven Airport or south to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport for extended travel.
Staying active is easy in Park City
Nicknamed Park City, Bridgeport has 35 public parks that cover about 1,300 acres. Popular inland green spaces include 125-acre Beardsley Park, which is also home to the state’s only Zoological Garden, known fondly as the Beardsley Zoo. At Seaside Park, visitors can enjoy miles of sandy beaches, grassy sports fields and a historic lighthouse scattered across 325 acres of coastal turf. Like Beardsley, Seaside was designed in the early 1900s with the help of famed architect Frederick Law Olmsted, who most notably designed New York City’s Central Park in the late 1850s. Across the harbor, Pleasure Beach is accessible in summer via water taxi, offering clear views of the Long Island Sound.
Connecticut experiences four distinct seasons, and with up to 30 inches of annual snowfall, beaches are usually out of the question once autumn hits. “There’s definitely less snowfall than there was when I was a kid in the ‘60s, so we don’t usually get major storms,” Walowitz says. To keep the community active during the colder months, the Bridgeport Parks and Recreation Department organizes Night Recreation events at local schools to encourage residents to join intramural team sports. Inland green spaces like Washington Park remain open all year, but residents should note that some locations require visitors to display a Bridgeport Park Sticker on their car while parked on the premises.
The Beardsley Zoo in Beardsley Park at 3000 E Main Street in Bridgeport, CT.
Residents of Downtown Bridgeport can visit Seaside Park for beach access.
Explore the historic Washington Park in Bridgeport.
Pleasure Beach Park is a quiet place to relax by the water.
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Manufacturing powerhouse to artsy downtown
With the help of local artists and developers, downtown Bridgeport is transforming into a vibrant cultural corridor. Colorfully painted staircases and murals create an inviting atmosphere, drawing emerging artists to the city’s growing number of museums and contemporary galleries. People often participate in public art projects organized by the Downtown Special Services District, which is also responsible for the weekly farmers market.
Residents explore Bridgeport’s creative side along the Bridgeport Art Trail, which includes the Arcade Mall; constructed in the 1840s, the crystal palace features a Victorian glass dome structure home to small businesses and art installations. The Barnum Museum also brings history to life with interesting exhibits about former resident P.T. Barnum, father of the modern circus who served as Bridgeport’s mayor in the 1870s.
Bridgeport has become a gathering spot for sports fans and music lovers. Hockey fans gather at Total Mortgage Arena to cheer on the American Hockey League’s Bridgeport Islanders while concertgoers sing along to well-known bands like The Beach Boys at Hartford HealthCare Amphitheater. The Downtown Cabaret Theatre and Stress Factory Comedy Club host frequent performances. The Bridgeport Public Library has low-key community events, like book clubs and kids’ story hours, and a by-appointment history center.
Downtown Bridgeport also features creative art installations like the Broad Street steps.
Fresh produce and local goods await you at the Downtown Bridgeport farmers market.
A family is about to enter the Total Mortgage Arena for a hockey game in the South End.
The Downtown Cabaret Theatre offers live musicals in Downtown Bridgeport.
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Decreasing crime rates, increasing sea levels
According to FBI statistics, residents have a 1 in 245 of becoming a victim of a violent crime and a 1 in 80 chance of becoming a victim in a property crime. Bridgeport has seen significant drops in overall crime rates across the city, partly due to increased community engagement and recruitment efforts by the local police department. Following a statewide 13% decrease in violent crime rates in 2021, Bridgeport’s gun-related crimes dropped 34% from 2022 to 2023. Despite its larger population, the city also boasts lower murder and property crime rates than both Hartford and New Haven, making it one of the safest of Connecticut’s larger cities.
As a coastal city, Bridgeport is prone to flooding following heavy rains and extreme weather. The effects have worsened with climate change, so Bridgeport has developed a resilient pilot program to mitigate issues related to rising sea levels. The proposed designs will help to manage stormwater and reduce flood risk near the coast.
On average, homes in Bridgeport, CT sell after 56 days on the market compared to the national average of 49 days. The median sale price for homes in Bridgeport, CT over the last 12 months is $313,000, up 5% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Housing Trends
Median List Price
$315,000
Median Sale Price
$313,000
Median Single Family Sale Price
$390,000
Median Townhouse Sale Price
$141,749
Median 2 Bedroom Sale Price
$224,000
Median Change From 1st List Price
0%
Last 12 months Home Sales
743
Median Home Sale Price YoY Change
$5
Average Price Per Sq Ft
$251
Neighborhood Facts
Number of Homes for Sale
122
Months of Supply
2.00
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Top Schools in Bridgeport, CT
Source:
Best Public Elementary Schools
#1 Booth Hill School
A
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#2 Holland Hill Elementary
A
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#3 Roger Sherman Elementary School
A
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#4 Frenchtown Elementary School
A-
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#5 North Stratfield Elementary School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#6 Stratfield Elementary School
A
Niche
7
GreatSchools
#7 Mckinley Elementary School
A-
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#8 Six-Six Magnet School
B-
Niche
5
GreatSchools
#9 Nichols Elementary School
C+
Niche
5
GreatSchools
Best Public Middle Schools
#1 Roger Ludlowe Middle School
A
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#2 Hillcrest Middle School
A
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#3 Madison Middle School
A-
Niche
8
GreatSchools
#4 Fairfield Woods Middle School
A
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#5 Tomlinson Middle School
A-
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#6 Six-Six Magnet School
B-
Niche
5
GreatSchools
#7 John Winthrop School
C+
Niche
4
GreatSchools
#8 Multicultural Magnet School
C+
Niche
4
GreatSchools
#9 Black Rock School
C
Niche
4
GreatSchools
Best Public High Schools
#1 Fairfield Ludlowe High School
A
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#2 Trumbull High School
A
Niche
9
GreatSchools
#3 Fairfield Warde High School
A+
Niche
7
GreatSchools
#4 Bunnell High School
B
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#5 Stratford High School
B
Niche
6
GreatSchools
#6 Information Technology and Software Engineering High School
B+
Niche
5
GreatSchools
#7 Aerospace/Hydrospace Engineering And Physical Sciences High School
B+
Niche
3
GreatSchools
#8 Biotechnology Research and Zoological Studies High School
B+
Niche
3
GreatSchools
#9 Bullard-Havens Technical High School
C+
Niche
4
GreatSchools
Best Private Schools
#1 Bridgeport International Academy
A+
Niche
#2 St Andrew School
A+
Niche
#3 Catholic Academy of Bridgeport-St. Augustine Academy
A
Niche
#4 Kolbe Cathedral High School
B+
Niche
#5 Bridgeport Hope School
#6 Catholic Academy of Bridgeport-St. Raphael Academy
#7 Merkaz Community High School for Judaic Studies
#8 Northeastern Adventist Academy - Fairfield County
#9 St. Ann Campus - Catholic Academy of Bridgeport
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Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
