The 10 Best Places to Live in Connecticut – Did Your Town Rank?

Movoto.com, an online real estate brokerage company, has listed the Top Ten Places to Live in Connecticut based on amenities, quality of life, total crime, tax rates, unemployment, commute time, and weather.

Here are the top ten and the reasons why.

1. Stamford(125,000)....Scored high for low student to teacher ratio of 12 to 1...A median household income 89% higher than the rest of the state and median home price of $574,900 also 89% higher than the average.

2. Bethel(7,531)....Scored high in "amenities" and "quality of life" scores due mostly to its low student to teacher ratio of 13/1. Because Bethel had an average summer temperature of 68 degrees and an air quality score of 35, they were one of the top weather scorers.

3. Danbury(82,000)....It used to be called the "Hat City" for a reason. In the 1830's, Danbury employed more hatters than any other industry in the city and by the 1850's, Danbury was known as the "Hat City of the World." In 1880, Danbury produced 4.5 million hats. Good quality of life, and plenty of amenities helped Danbury earn its #3 rating.

4. Middletown(48,000)....This city's historic downtown, large parks and open spaces, along with their tons of restaurants earned Middletown its #4 spot. If you're driving through, O'Rourke's Diner is a must stop.

5. Ridgefield(6,800)....Ridgefield's high median income of $116,597, along with average home prices at around $719,000 and some fantastic restaurants like Bernard's and Luc's Cafe and Restaurant helped make them #5. Their crime to population ratio of 271 crimes per 100,000 population was also a factor.

6. West Hartford(64,000)...This town had a very high quality of life score and low commuting time averaging only 22 minutes along with "The Center" and "Square" always having some kind of festival going on helped West Hartford attain their #6 rating. If you're passing through, check the "Adventure Room's," the West Hartford Reservoir, and "The Playhouse on the Park".

7. Darien(21,000)....The median household income of $175,767 makes Darien the most expensive place to live. Make sure to check Cove Island Park and Cummings Park. If you have time for dinner, make sure to make a reservation at "The Water's Edge at Giovanni's."

8. Groton(10,400)....This town was built along the Thames River in New London county and has one of the lowest crime rates of the top ten along with an impressive 13/1 student to teacher ratios. If you visit, make sure you check out "The Submarine Force Museum" and "Bluff Point State Park." 

9. Westport(27,000)....This coastal town has been named one of the ten wealthiest towns in the U.S. Westport also scored well with their 11/1 student to teacher ratio and is loaded up with amaze balls amenities like Compo Beach, Sherwood Island State Park, the amazing Westport Farmer's Market, and the Westport Country Playhouse. They also had the very best scores for "quality of life" and best weather in the state.

10. Newtown(2,000)....Newtown has that small town feel and ranks way up there in "quality of life" scores, not to mention it's the location for "Ferris Acres Creamery" which is ice cream straight from the dairy! Add in the Lake Zoar factor and you've got an amazing place to raise a family!

If you're thinking of moving your family into or out of Connecticut, movoto.com provides you with several lists that recommend the best and worst places to live, along with the most expensive and least expensive places to live.

**Listen to Ethan Carey on the Ethan & Lou Show weekdays from 5:30-10AM on 95.1 FM. You can listen online at i95rock.com/listen-live/ or by downloading the radioPup app for your mobile device.