Community Corner

Here's Where Shelton Ranks Among The Top 100 Places To Live In CT, New Ranking Says

Data-driven platform Niche has released a ranking of the top 100 places to live in Connecticut. Here's where Shelton ranks.

Data-driven platform Niche has released a ranking of the top 100 places to live in Connecticut.
Data-driven platform Niche has released a ranking of the top 100 places to live in Connecticut. (RJ Scofield/Patch Staff)

SHELTON, CT — If you're looking for somewhere to call home in Connecticut, give a closer look to Old Greenwich and Stamford, which topped their categories in a new ranking based on quality of life issues released Monday.

Now in its 12th year, the 2026 Best Places to Live ranking from the data-driven platform Niche helps everyone from young people just starting their careers or families to retirees decide where they want to live.

The report analyzes places of various sizes. The ranking includes 230 cities and 18,000 towns, suburbs and neighborhoods.

Find out what's happening in Shelton-Derbyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

While Old Greenwich and West Hartford ranked first and second respectively, Shelton ranked 94th on the list, according to Niche.

The list also includes a report card for each community, on which Shelton scored a "B+" overall Niche grade.

Find out what's happening in Shelton-Derbyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Shelton also scored an "A" for Outdoor Activities, an "A-" for Health and Fitness, Good for Families and Diversity and a "B" for Public Schools, Jobs, Nightlife and Weather, according to the report card.

Shelton also ranked #49 in Best Places to Retire in Connecticut, according to Niche.

View Shelton's full Niche report card with more in depth information here.

Connecticut cities that scored well in Niche's analysis include the following: Stamford, 118 out of 238, New Haven, 182 out of 238, Bridgeport, 199 out of 238, Danbury 203 out of 238, and Hartford, 208 out of 238.

In addition to Old Greenwich and West Hartford, smaller communities Riverside, Avon, Cos Cob, Westport, Simsbury, Farmington, Glastonbury and South Windsor placed among the top 10 in the Best Places ranking in Connecticut, according to Niche.

The full list of the top 100 communities in the Best Places ranking in Connecticut can be viewed here.

The rankings are based on a wide range of public data sources, including the U.S. Census Bureau, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, combined with millions of resident reviews, according to Niche.

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