Warren is a rural area near chic small towns
Situated in the scenic foothills of the Berkshire Mountains, Warren is a northwestern Connecticut community that offers a blend of farmland, nature preserves and lakeside homes. It was founded in the 1750s as an agricultural area, and original houses and the Warren Congregational Church, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, show the community's heritage. But Warren’s popularity as a weekend and vacation getaway for Manhattanites has led to the construction of multi-million-dollar country estates and high-end boutiques and restaurants. “Warren is in the middle of all these chic and desirable towns,” says Ann Stettner, an associate broker with Neil Charles Real Estate who’s sold homes in the area for over 35 years. “It has its own little hamlet with a general store and a couple of other little shops, and it's not far from Sharon, Kent and New Preston.”
A mix of farms, country getaways and lakefront estates
The colonial, saltbox and ranch-style homes here typically sit far apart on multi-acre lots that are hilly and mostly forested. Some of the homes were built in the 1700s, and there are also some newly built custom houses. There are a few farm properties, and some are private estates that are used as vacation or second homes. The median home sale price is around $670,000, higher than the national median of roughly $400,000. Stettner says the homes surrounding Lake Waramaug are the area’s most expensive. “People joke around and refer to it as Lake Goldman, as in Goldman Sachs, because there are houses in the tens of millions,” she says. “A very nothing house is going to run a couple million dollars.” Undeveloped lots between 2 and 30 acres can cost between $50,000 and $650,000, depending on acreage and location. Stettner says many are attracted to Warren for low taxes, which she says are some of the lowest in the state.
Locally owned restaurants and stores in Warren and nearby towns
The Hopkins Inn and Restaurant is one of the few places to eat in Warren. Located on Lake Waramaug, the upscale restaurant serves Austrian dishes and is known for its salad dressings, which they sell by the bottle. Warren’s town center has a few locally owned businesses, like Warren General Store, which has to-go sandwiches and locally sourced groceries, and WKND, a clothing store. New Preston has more shopping and dining options, like The Owl Wine & Food Bar, which serves pizza and small plates in an upscale atmosphere. Davis IGA in Kent is the nearest grocery store, and national retailers like Aldi, Stop & Shop and Walmart are in New Milford.
Town parks and nature preserves for outdoor recreation
“Residents in Warren have their own private beach on Lake Waramaug, which is kind of a secret amongst the general public,” Stettner says. The beach is open to residents during the summer months and has a playground. Warren Woods is another of the town’s parks and hosts regular events like summer concerts and the annual Warren Fall Festival each October. Nature preserves like Wyantenock State Forest and Cunningham Nature Preserve provide several opportunities for hiking, and the Appalachian Trail is just west of the Housatonic River, a popular fly-fishing spot. Kent Falls State Park is also nearby. “It’s a beautiful waterfall where you can go picnicking and hiking,” Stettner says. In winter, the Mohawk Mountain Ski Area has over 25 trails for skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing.
B-rated schools in Regional School District 20
Warren’s kids attend schools in Regional School District 20, which was formed in 2024 and hasn’t been rated by Niche. They can start at the B-plus-rated Warren Elementary and then go to the unrated Plumb Hill Middle. The B-rated Lakeview High’s name changed from Wamogo Regional High when the new district was formed. Students here can enroll in two free courses each semester at any Connecticut State Community College, though the courses must be taken after school.
About 20 minutes from New Milford and two hours from Manhattan
State Routes 341 and 45 are the main roads through Warren, and U.S. Routes 202 and 7 are nearby. New Milford is 13 miles away, and Torrington is roughly an 18-mile trip. New York City is around 92 miles away. The Metro North’s Harlem Valley-Wingdale Train Station, located 17 miles away, has routes into Grand Central Terminal. New Milford Hospital is around 13 miles away, and Bradley International Airport is a 52-mile trip.
Written By
Annie Franklin
Photography Contributed By
Ed Messenger
