The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Connecticut
Ranked on The Town Files lifestyle rankings among 132 towns of 2,500–10,000 people in Connecticut. #1 is Sharon, CT.
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25Bethlehem, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 85% of Connecticut towns
3,385 people · median home $410,900 · income $108,929 · Jan low 15°F · 47 in snow
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24Killingworth, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 85% of Connecticut towns
6,174 people · median home $446,200 · income $140,655 · Jan low 19°F
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23Litchfield, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 86% of Connecticut towns
8,192 people · median home $391,900 · income $102,609 · Jan low 15°F · 54 in snow
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22Redding, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 86% of Connecticut towns
8,765 people · median home $706,300 · income $186,060 · Jan low 18°F · 49 in snow
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21Barkhamsted, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 87% of Connecticut towns
3,647 people · median home $368,000 · income $123,544 · Jan low 14°F · 51 in snow
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20Beacon Falls, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 87% of Connecticut towns
6,000 people · median home $350,300 · income $101,516 · Jan low 18°F · 45 in snow
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19Chester, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 88% of Connecticut towns
3,749 people · median home $442,200 · income $109,191 · Jan low 19°F · 26 in snow
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18Essex, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 88% of Connecticut towns
6,733 people · median home $552,000 · income $104,395 · Jan low 23°F · 26 in snow
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17Collinsville, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 89% of Connecticut towns
3,721 people · median home $395,500 · income $94,815 · Jan low 17°F · 39 in snow
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16Goshen, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 90% of Connecticut towns
3,150 people · median home $482,400 · income $152,093 · Jan low 14°F · 75 in snow
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15Washington, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 90% of Connecticut towns
3,646 people · median home $660,200 · income $101,549 · Jan low 21°F · 47 in snow
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14Old Lyme, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 90% of Connecticut towns
7,628 people · median home $484,200 · income $131,899 · Jan low 23°F · 26 in snow
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13Westbrook, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 91% of Connecticut towns
6,769 people · median home $434,300 · income $91,202 · Jan low 23°F · 25 in snow
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12West Simsbury, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 92% of Connecticut towns
2,521 people · median home $503,100 · income $201,397 · Jan low 14°F · 51 in snow
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11Niantic, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 92% of Connecticut towns
3,194 people · median home $396,000 · income $81,250 · Jan low 23°F · 25 in snow
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10Deep River Center, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 93% of Connecticut towns
2,765 people · median home $334,600 · income $71,447 · Jan low 23°F · 26 in snow
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9Deep River, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 93% of Connecticut towns
4,415 people · median home $362,200 · income $90,253 · Jan low 19°F · 26 in snow
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8Salisbury, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 95% of Connecticut towns
4,194 people · median home $763,700 · income $124,256 · Jan low 14°F · 62 in snow
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7Woodbury, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 95% of Connecticut towns
9,723 people · median home $469,900 · income $131,480 · Jan low 21°F · 47 in snow
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6Sherman, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 96% of Connecticut towns
3,527 people · median home $497,300 · income $116,000 · Jan low 16°F · 52 in snow
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5Essex Village, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 97% of Connecticut towns
2,583 people · median home $751,900 · income $102,885 · Jan low 23°F · 26 in snow
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4Mystic, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 98% of Connecticut towns
4,348 people · median home $538,800 · income $152,559 · Jan low 24°F · 25 in snow
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3Heritage Village, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 98% of Connecticut towns
5,091 people · median home $243,100 · income $62,059 · Jan low 21°F · 47 in snow
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2Kent, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 99% of Connecticut towns
3,019 people · median home $470,900 · income $96,064 · Jan low 16°F · 56 in snow
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1Sharon, Connecticut
Better for retirees than 100% of Connecticut towns
2,680 people · median home $590,700 · income $100,518 · Jan low 14°F · 62 in snow
Price vs ranking
More Connecticut rankings
- The 25 Quietest Small Towns in Connecticut
- The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Connecticut
- The 25 Best Small Towns for Families in Connecticut
- The 21 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Connecticut
- 25 Small Towns in Connecticut With the Cheapest Homes
- 25 Small Towns in Connecticut With the Mildest Winters
- The 25 Most Walkable Small Towns in Connecticut
- 25 Small Towns in Connecticut With the Fewest Tornadoes Since 1950
- The 25 Best Small Towns for First-Time Home Buyers in Connecticut
- The 15 Best Affordable Small Towns for Remote Workers in Connecticut
Same ranking, other places
- The 50 Best Small Towns to Retire in America
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Pennsylvania
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in New York
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Michigan
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Texas
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in California
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in New Jersey
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Florida
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Wisconsin
- The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Ohio
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)