If you can get into a nice area it’s great. My wife and I regularly got into New Haven for bars, restaurants, for music, plays, entertainment.. etc.

I think New Haven is much nicer now then when I was there for 2 years in the late 90s. The cost has definitely crept up over the years.

It's on the NY Times list of 52 places to visit in the world in 2023, so someone thinks highly enough of it to get recommended. I'd say it's trending in the right direction.

i personally enjoy new haven. i don’t live there but i do have a good time whenever i go. plenty of culture (by usa standards) concerts at college st music hall or woolsey hall if you like classical, good food, especially pizza, quite walkable for the most part (again, by us standards). however, all that stuff is mostly clustered around downtown, once you get into the suburbs it gets kinda shitty/boring

My wife and I lived in New Haven for over 3 years (1 downtown and 2 East Rock) and loved it. The city is fantastic, super walkable, with lots going on. We moved there not knowing anyone and joined an adult kickball league (WAKA) and meet basically all our current adult friends there.

Other then a single nighttime parking garage car break in (which can happen anywhere) we had zero issues with crime or feeling unsafe. It’s the perfect small city with museums, concerts, epic food, and fantastic train access. I’d highly recommend New Haven.

If you find a nice location you will enjoy New Haven offerings

I’ve lived in New Haven for 15 years. Moved here from Boston. It’s a great little city, with much of the culture, arts, dining, music, nightlife, theater, that you find in a larger city in a smaller, more accessible package. Best neighborhoods: East Rock, Westville, Wooster Square, downtown, Beaver Hills.

u/JulianoJones1945 you may want to post your question in the r/NewHaven sub

Pizza pizza

I lived there for 2 years and hated every minute of it, but I also lived on Winchester Ave lol. Lots of crime/police activity, idiotic drivers, and both my gf’s car and mine got hit and run a few weeks apart from each other.

Sure there’s night life and restaurants but that wasn’t our thing. We are much happier in rural CT now

walking in neighborhoods. good parks. schools are better than people say and kids can graduate with free college Promise scholarships, more cultural festivals and arts than ever, diversity, farmington trail walking path. small town vibe with bigger city offerings.

I love New Haven! Lots of fun.

Living In Connecticut | Pros and Cons Of Living In New Haven CT

I live in Hamden, near state street in the suburbs. Its nice, til you get on Dixwell Ave

The city has great food and great culture. However, owning in New Haven comes with much higher taxes than some surrounding options you may want to consider (Milford, Orange, or Woodbridge).

Pros: The proximity to good food.

Cons: Everything else.

Property taxes just went up, my mortgage jumped $170 a month and for what? So I can hear the drag racing on Rt 80 again? That went on for years, finally the city and police chief made a statement regarding the interruption of the businesses on the street, nothing of the people that live there and have to hear that still going on at 2am. The drivers here and the state in general are horrendous. Had a roommate rip me off a few years ago, cop said they really couldn't do anything, only to find out yes he could have only he was too lazy to do an actual investigation. I won't even talk about what happened in the back of the prisoner transport van recently. Yale owns practically all of downtown, so there goes tax revenue. If it wasn't for Yale, New Haven would be another Bridgeport, and Yale knows it so they get a pass from the city. If I could afford to move I would, this city sucks.