Urban and suburban elements mix in this popular Hartford suburb
With a population of over 64,000 people, a busy town center, walkable streets and a hot housing market, West Hartford is among the more desirable suburbs in the Hartford area. It combines suburban and urban elements to create an environment that’s bustling and vibrant, yet still family-friendly and community-oriented. “It’s probably the most popular town in this part of Connecticut,” says Dawn Mikuláštík Gagliardi, a West Hartford native and lead Realtor of the Gagliardi Team at Serhant in West Hartford. “I find a lot of people are moving here from California, New York, Boston because it’s more affordable but still close to major cities.”
West Hartford is a large suburb of Hartford with several unique neighborhoods.
Golf Acres is a ten minute drive from downtown Hartford.
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Housing prices nearly double Hartford’s but lower than nearby suburbs
The median price of a single-family home in West Hartford is $500,000, nearly double the median price of $265,000 in Hartford, and sales prices have increased by 17% year-over-year. However, home costs are still lower than nearby suburbs such as Avon and Farmington, which have median prices in the $600,000s. Styles include Cape Cods and ranch-style houses, as well as more spacious Traditional and Colonial Revival homes. Multifamily properties are also common near downtown. Many homes sit on less than half an acre on loosely gridded subdivisions branching off of the city center, while subdivisions farther out are more sprawling, with larger yards.
Though most of West Harford’s housing stock is made up of single-family homes, more condo and apartment buildings are on the way. “There are three big apartment complexes that are going up that are close to being done, and a couple of luxury condos that they haven’t started yet,” Gagliardi says.
Luxury living in Elizabeth Park's historic Tudor homes.
Find your special place in Farmington East.
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Highly rated public and private schools, plus universities
West Hartford’s Public School district receives an overall grade of A from Niche. It includes 11 elementary schools, three middle schools and two high schools, all of which earn a B-plus or higher from Niche. Charter Oak International Academy and Smith STEM School are magnet elementary schools that accept students through a lottery system.
The town also has several private schools, such as the A-rated Renbrook School, which has students in kindergarten through eighth grade, and the A-plus-rated Watkinson School, which serves grades 6 through 12. The American School for the Deaf teaches kindergarten through 12th grade in West Hartford. The University of Hartford and the University of Saint Joseph are located in town as well, with the University of Hartford employing over 1,200 people.
Avon High is ranked #16 among CT public high schools.
Avon Old Farms is a highly rated independent school.
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Events, shopping and dining in West Hartford Center
West Hartford Center is the community’s central downtown area, where residents can eat out, shop and attend events such as free summer concerts and the Celebrate West Hartford Festival. Tens of thousands of people gather to enjoy local food and live entertainment, carnival rides and a 5K race.
Blue Back Square and West Hartford Center are the spots for events like the West Hartford Halloween Stroll, where families in costume can pick up candy at local businesses, and the West Hartford Holiday Stroll, featuring a tree lighting and visits from Santa and his elves.
Less walkable than the Center, Bishops Corner farther north has supermarkets and big box stores. Other popular shopping and dining districts include Park Road and Elmwood Center. Westfarms, one of the state’s largest shopping malls, is 3 miles south of West Hartford Center. It's home to farmers markets, art shows, live entertainment and upscale shopping. These commercial areas have seen huge growth in the past few years, with several multimillion-dollar mixed-use developments in the works.
Whole Foods is a natural and organic grocery chain with a store in Bishops Corner West.
Farmington East residents appreciate all the local restaurants of West Hartford Center.
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Productions at Playhouse on Park and nearby Bushnell Theater
The culture of West Hartford is steeped in the arts. The Bushnell Theater has off-Broadway productions just 5 miles east of West Hartford, and the town also has the Playhouse on Park for smaller professional performances. Each high school has a theater as well. “The high schools do some really good productions that people get excited about in town,” Gagliardi says. “The art and music departments in the high schools are very good.”
The Summer Arts Festival is another big event where the town’s young people have performed shows such as "Mamma Mia!" and "The Little Mermaid." “Kids who were in theater in high school will come back and do it in college or in their 20s,” Gagliardi says. "They’re great productions and get a lot of funding, as far as not being professional."
The Bushnell in Downtown Hartford showcases a wide variety of performances.
Hartford Stage presents both classic and contemporary plays in its 489 seat theater.
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Public facilities include Cornerstone Aquatics Center and Veterans Memorial Skating Rink
According to the Trust for Public Land, 96% of West Hartford residents live within a 10-minute walk of one of the town’s parks. Swimmers can get their laps in year-round at the indoor pools in Cornerstone Aquatics Center, cyclists can pedal on the town’s many on- and off-street bike routes and hikers can walk around the Hartford Reservoir. Veterans Memorial Skating Rink invites skaters of all ages to get on the ice, with beginner lessons, figure-skating classes and hockey leagues on an NHL-size rink. Other offerings include Westmoor Park, which has a demonstration farm with working animals and wildlife, and Elizabeth Park, home to the country’s first municipal rose garden. Golfers can choose among several different golf courses. Hartford magazine consistently names the Rockledge Golf Club as the area’s best public golf course.
Skaters from West Hartford flock to Veterans Memorial Rink in Buena Vista.
Local golfers love to play on the nationally recognized Rockledge Golf Club.
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New bike lanes and expanding pedestrian infrastructure
Gagliardi says that most residents of West Hartford own a car, but the area is still pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly. “They just added a bunch of bike lanes,” she says. "It’s been a huge debate in town, but the bikers have fought for that." Trout Brook Trail, a popular pedestrian path that leads through the center of town, was expanded in 2023.
West Hartford may also soon see a new apartment building built to take advantage of the CTfastrak busway's Elmwood station, pending town manager approval. CTfastrak runs between West Hartford, New Britain, Newington and Hartford, linking to traditional bus routes that serve most other communities in central Connecticut.
For convenient out-of-town travel, residents can take Amtrak’s Hartford line from Union Station in Hartford to New Haven; Springfield, Massachusetts; and New York City. Drivers can also use Interstate 84 to travel east and west and Interstate 91 to go north and south.
Air travel is within easy reach at Bradley International/Hartford Airport, 18 miles away. It offers direct flights to more than 35 domestic and international destinations. Tweed New Haven Regional is the second closest airport, 43 miles away, offering flights on Avelo Airlines and Breeze Airways. Hartford Hospital is the closest major medical center, employing over 7,000 people.
Cold winters and a crime rate lower than Hartford's
West Hartford has cold winters, with many days below freezing, and warm summers. Snowfall and ice can be unpredictable, and blizzards and nor'easters can cause damage. In 2023, the state awarded the town $700,000 to help plan for climate change. Funding will go toward joint efforts with Resilient Connecticut to reduce flooding near Kennedy Brook and Kane Brook in West Hartford/Hartford.
The West Hartford Police Department reported a total of 2,197 crimes in 2023, including 214 violent crimes and 1,983 property crimes. That equals about 34 crimes per 1,000 people, which is lower than the crime rate in nearby Hartford.
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