Is Middletown a safe place for a woman living alone?

Submitted by JenjaBebop t3_10im9nz in Connecticut

I’m moving to CT from the west coast. I walked briefly through downtown Middletown and really liked it, but when I looked the area up later it looked pretty high in crime.

I’d love any thoughts or insights about how safe it is (or isn’t) there since I’m going to be living alone.

Edit: While I’m at it, any recommendations for good apartment complexes or areas? Areas to avoid?

Thanks so much to everyone for the replies so far! It’s hard to get a feel for a place when you live 3000 miles away.

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Pruedrive t1_j5f5y7v wrote

It is, the North end has its moments.. but aside from that it’s not a bad town at all.

Also we will be neighbors!

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Hey-buuuddy t1_j5f8l7m wrote

This. The “bad” area of Middletown is limited to the north-end. Avoid pretty much all apartments near downtown and the hospital. Wesleyan is right in that and has a good balancing effect. Walking down Main St is about as rough as it gets, which is absolutely nothing compared to Hartford.

The “Westlake” section way out on the west side on the border of Cromwell is apartment complex land. It’s safe over there, sometimes cars can get hit at night due to the proximity to the highways. There’s some crap housing developments to avoid, you’ll know when you see them. The area is far from downtown, though.

Most of Middletown is suburban or rural to the south. Very few rentals. Housing market still red hot there.

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JenjaBebop OP t1_j5fclgf wrote

Thanks for the tip, soon-to-be neighbor!

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crossbowman44 t1_j5fu9c4 wrote

I live right next door in Meriden. Stop by tom's place in south Meriden, they have the best steamed cheeseburgers in the entire state

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Pruedrive t1_j5fcs66 wrote

Check out the neighboring towns as well.. they are little gems unto themselves.

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insomniaczombiex t1_j5fm46d wrote

This! I used to live right across the river in Portland and it’s such a nice little quiet town but close enough to everywhere.

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Cjgehrke t1_j5gohyu wrote

South Farms area has been great (moved here two years ago)

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VegetableTomatillo20 t1_j5fbcjg wrote

Of main street or of Middletown?

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Pruedrive t1_j5fcb7e wrote

More Middletown city portion. Id say Liberty ST would be the southern boundary of it, and like stack street would be the northern most part. Also the sections on the North end near the River can be rough as well. I lived down their for better part of a decade, and I can attest it can get a little interesting at times… nothing too crazy but going into it you would want to stay vigilant.

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wholepailofwater t1_j5fa9wu wrote

I used to ride my bicycle from Rocky Hill to class at Wesleyan, right through the so called dangerous North end, at night. No issues. Middletown is fine.

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[deleted] t1_j5f3uc6 wrote

[deleted]

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Adventurous-Aide664 t1_j5fb450 wrote

My wife and I lived in Middletown about 8 years ago and we would happily move back. Downtown has it's areas but we've never had one issue and love it down there. The restaurant selection downtown is fantastic and if you're into hiking there are so many beautiful trails to visit in the area.

We lived in two separate apartment complexes on West lake drive (AKA condo heaven), Madison Northwoods and Hunter's crossing. Madison Northwoods was nicer but more expensive. There are plenty of other complexes to choose from though.

Overall, I think you'll like Middletown if you choose to live there!

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moderncincinatus t1_j5f3y6t wrote

Yeah it's a good place. Just do the usual lock doors at night but that's everywhere now

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The_ConnectiCunt t1_j5g9g4z wrote

Now? When has it not been the usual

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moderncincinatus t1_j5g9sfx wrote

In the ancient times, my friend, they speak of times where one could leave their door unlocked at night. I've never much believed in it

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The_ConnectiCunt t1_j5gd8vu wrote

That was like 1000 years ago. If I was there then I still would have locked my door somehow.

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GlitterfreshGore t1_j5guwb4 wrote

I grew up in Mystic in the 90s and I don’t think a single one of us ever used a housekey there. Lol

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Unfairly_Banned_ t1_j5f482t wrote

My apartment was once broken into in Middletown and when I went to the police station to file a report, they didn't care. I was literally asked, "what do you want us to do about it?"

Um, to get off your ass and do your job of catching criminals??? You clowns will raid somebody's apartment just because you think they're smoking drugs, so where's that same energy when someone is robbing houses???

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hymen_destroyer t1_j5fagn3 wrote

To be fair this problem is not limited to or unique to middletown, but I do agree that MPD is bloated and largely incompetent

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Clourog t1_j5fh1cc wrote

Middletown resident here. I am completely fine with my wife or daughter being alone downtown. Great town.

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husky429 t1_j5fygvb wrote

Middletown is perfectly safe. There's a couple specific areas in the North End that I wouldn't particularly want to live in, but it's really relegated to like a single block... not a whole neighborhood.

Most of the North End is perfectly safe. The area right around Aresco's/Liberty is a little hairy... 2 blocks away feels like a totally different city.

If you find any potential places to rent, feel free to DM me and I can give you a good idea of what it's like.

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B6304T4 t1_j5f87dc wrote

It's pretty safe. Some beggars in the main atreet/south main area. I've encountered the same guy on multiple occasions asking people to barrow jumper cables. Don't hang out in the north end and it's side streets. And don't hang out in the woods/powerlines by the reservoir by yourself. You'll be good. It's a college town so there's stuff to do and it's safe. It's a great town. Frankly if It was commutable for my gf, it's probably tied with another town as our top town we'd want to live in.

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Quiet-Context_ t1_j5f8gor wrote

It's fine but good luck trying to find an apartment. I see weekly postings on the Middletown Facebook page with people asking for help. People suggest using a realtor. You may want to join and ask.

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Time_Yam301 t1_j5f3utn wrote

There are beggars out around Main Street, but that's the biggest problem. It's a college town, so it's pretty safe.

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Bruins125 t1_j5f84v7 wrote

To be honest I walk through downtown Middletown all the time, including at night, and I rarely encounter beggars. Maybe a bit moreso during the Summer but I haven't seen the one beggar I used to see all the time in months.

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husky429 t1_j5fxroy wrote

There's beggars around... usually the same 10 folks or so. If you just say "no" they leave you alone. Nothing scary or unsafe about it.

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Bruins125 t1_j5g065w wrote

Completely agree, I may have a high tolerance because I was once a street vendor in Boston but I've found the beggers here to be harmless.

The only time I've ever felt a smidge unsafe in Middletown was when some drunk white women passed me while shouting homophobic/transphobic slurs, but that can happen anywhere.

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Prize-Hedgehog t1_j5glsfu wrote

Yeah I’ve been around Middletown for 10+ years now for work and Ive made it to the point where the guys that usually ask for change just say hi to me and move on. Funny, a couple of months ago one of the usual suspects was walking with a guy I never seen before, as he begins to approach me I hear the other guy tell him I don’t do handouts and he walks away and nods at me. Found that kind of polite and funny.

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JenjaBebop OP t1_j5grrvq wrote

Yeah, I'm coming from Seattle so that really doesn't phase me.

I'd just like to avoid having my car stolen or my apartment robbed.

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husky429 t1_j5gsd2z wrote

Neither happens much in Middletown if you lock your doors. More likely to have your catalytic converter stolen than the whole car... but that's happening everywhere in CT.

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Independent_Low614 t1_j5fm8jk wrote

My wife and I movced from the west coast to Middletown a couple years ago. We live right on the Cromwell/Middletown line, and we like it. We're like 10ish minutes from downtown by car/Uber, so we can still go out and enjoy the nightlife.

Do NOT rent at Middletown Brooke. We lived there for a while, and it sucks. The maintenance staff takes forever (sometimes MONTHS) to get to anything, even things like leaks. The office staff doesn't care about your issues either. We had multiple maintenance requests on the residents' portal get marked as complete when we never even saw, let alone let in, a maintenance person.

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pps423 t1_j5fwlqx wrote

Yep! Try Stonegate Apts on South Main st, not sure how they are now but 10 years ago I felt very safe there living alone.

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Legitimate_Mention_5 t1_j5g5r59 wrote

I used to go to Middletown to buy heroin, like every town it has some good and bad parts, you will be fine

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[deleted] t1_j5g92gy wrote

You use the same precautions as you would with any other city. The psychiatric hospital is also right there, so it’s a far more interesting mix of people on Main Street, than say Hartford.

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Muhshuggah t1_j5gauru wrote

Like i recommend to every person, regardless of their sex, please carry mace. It's non-lethal, easy to use and cheap. I'm a 6'2" male with a large build. I used to work and live in new haven for a period of time. They do not care if you're big or small. Give yourself a fighting chance. With any luck, you'll never need it and it'll be no more inconveniencing to carry than a large permanent marker.

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Chachachalis t1_j5ghzs2 wrote

My good friend is a woman who lives alone in Middletown! She lives in Carriage Crossing and really likes it. I lived in Town Place apartments for a few years with my now husband when we were dating and we loved it. Very safe and nice amenities! Sometimes main st is a little sketchy at night but overall it’s a great town. Check out Krust pizza and Celtic Cavern, both great spots!

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Harperxx95 t1_j5gx3wb wrote

I used to live in Middletown as a single woman years ago and enjoyed it. I liked the apartments off George Street. OSA (on Main Street) is still my favorite restaurant years later.

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teamhog t1_j5hmh2w wrote

Questions:
What do you want in an apartment? Why Central CT?
What are you looking for? Where will you be working? What do you like to do in Seattle? What are you looking to do in CT?

The state is roughly 1-hour tall & 2-hours wide. So it’s not like things are too far away, but the things you like to do often may be avoided if it’s not nearby.

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hymen_destroyer t1_j5faonc wrote

Well, I live in Middletown but I never leave the house so you should be fine

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_343_Guilty_Spark__ t1_j5fyq5g wrote

If you have the budget for it Knollcrest apartments are pretty nice. Pet friendly, public pool/grill/fire areas, has a dog park that gets lots of use, most renters are older or young professionals so nothing crazy is ever going down.

Also 5 minutes away from one of Middletown’s main shopping hubs and maybe a 10 minute drive tops to downtown

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Shtoinkity_shtoink t1_j5ghfsq wrote

Hi, my wife and I own a house/live in the north end, somewhere behind Eli Cannons, my sister also lives in the area on the other side of Washington st. My wife takes a routine walk daily and she once had someone shouting at her. My sister had her door kicked by some teenagers (no clue what those intention was). If you avoid liberty street it’s not bad. I’d feel safe walking on the fire station side of downtown on main. Day time I’d say it’s safe to walk around anywhere. At night it’s a little more dangerous. I don’t think your residence is really ever at a threat of being broken into. Perhaps someone shouting at you on the street might be the biggest threat in the day time.

Over all. I enjoy living here and I feel safe but there are definitely moments of “I wouldn’t want any to be alone”. We have also heard gun shots and there is a shooting maybe once or twice a year, usually on the north end near McDonough

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CaseyGamer64YT t1_j5fqozv wrote

from what I've heard its pretty safe except for the North end. Though if your really that concerned learn how to defend yourself. Mace, pistol, swiss army knife, fists. Whatever.

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jtedeschi8 t1_j5go34v wrote

Just stay away from hillside ave near stop and shop

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hairtiesandgreeneyes t1_j5i5upb wrote

Disagree. I have lived in this part of town for the last three years and it’s absolutely fine.

Pretty much the same as what everyone else is saying on here / what you would see in most cities — you may get some characters here and there (seen someone picking returnables out of the recycling, occasionally someone that’s incredibly high / out of it, house around the corner for adults in serious rehab)

But I’ve never once had a problem with anyone walking around in my neighborhood — I’m a young white woman.

Listen to the other people on here, if you prefer a neighborhood setting, you’ll be able to find some decent multi family home rentals but make sure you get a good look at them first.

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jtedeschi8 t1_j5u5epv wrote

I have been mugged and been rammed by a car on hillside ave I’m just speaking from experiences

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Juddthejuice t1_j5gt96u wrote

We loved East Berlin (borders Cromwell on the other side) when we first got married. Super quiet and only a hop skip and a jump from just about anything you need.

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Financial-Tough-250 t1_j5ho3ml wrote

Berlín is soooooo boring. Do not recommend.

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Juddthejuice t1_j5i2v7e wrote

You have the turnpike with literally everything you need. It’s not a party town but it’s nice.

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HotHam_Water t1_j5gx4bt wrote

I’ve had 3 female friends live off of West Lake Dr (condo heaven) as well as my brother. One of my female friends and my brother lived in town ridge, which was probably the nicest one. Big complex. My other friend lived both in Northwoods (which was also nice) and, she and the third friend (who didn’t live together) lived on Burgundy Hill Ln (the Peppermill Condos, the first ones on the left when you enter West Lake Dr. While the inside of the condos were nice, I heard some sketchy stories from both of them about the condo complex itself. One of my friends was sitting in her condo and heard screaming. I guess a girl was sitting her in car with the windows down, and a man came up to her car and literally tried to pull her out of the window. The other friend who lived there was certain her neighbors were running a hard drug operation. All in all, other than the place I mentioned, I’ve heard most complexes there are really nice and its a good place to live, especially for a young single person. A lot to do. I’ve heard good things about Carriage Crossing as well (I think that’s what its called). Just be vigilant always :)

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alimerwal85 t1_j5gxiz4 wrote

I’ve lived in the westlake area for about 5 years and have always felt safe!

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rumblefishfigher28 t1_j5h9tl7 wrote

I lived in the west lake area at Northwoods East, and had a buddy who lived in Town Ridge, another in Northwoods West, and another in Middletown ridge. None of us ever had any issues

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AGK47_Returns t1_j5h2dc2 wrote

Statistically CT in general is pretty safe, obviously use common sense, remember to lock doors/windows, and learn self-defense. These are things you should do in general, regardless of where you live IMO, so don't take it too nervously. When you compare Middletown to Hartford it isn't even close, so I wouldn't be particularly worried. Also plenty of nearby suburbs are fine. Cromwell, Rocky Hill, Portland, East Hampton, Glastonbury, Wethersfield, etc.

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Financial-Tough-250 t1_j5hm234 wrote

I would recommend near Wesleyan university if there are any apartments in the historic homes. I love historic homes for their charm— ideally if the home is owner occupied and well maintained. There are a lot of condo complexes near the Cromwell line in my opinion they are boring because people just drive anywhere they need to go. If you are near Wesleyan you could walk to Main St.

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Billh491 t1_j5htg8x wrote

My daughter lived in the west lake dr area when she got out of school in 2015 and a year later bought a condo in the south end near Durham. Believe me I am a protective dad and would not have had here living any where I did not think was safe.

West lake Drive is right next to Cromwell and the whole road is full of condos and apartments.

And the south end with the condo was next to a horse pasture.

I live across the river in Portland and have no problem going to any business in middletown. I mean I would not hang around the north end of main street at night but from say Luce restaurant down I have.

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TheColdWind t1_j5i2404 wrote

It’s like anywhere else, stay outta the dark corners and blind alleys etc and you’ll be fine. I lived there for years and enjoyed it. Amatos toy store is killer.

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painterlyjeans t1_j5i5302 wrote

Middletown is fine. Most of these people sound paranoid AF. It's a lot less edgy then it was and more gentrified.

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melonphant t1_j5ihzrl wrote

I used to live alone, walking distance from Wesleyan, and felt perfectly safe there.

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TeriAn_57 t1_j5ilo68 wrote

We have a 1 bedroom with separate loft in the Westlake area mentioned by several people in this post which will be available to rent around the beginning of March. We are private owners and you would not have to deal with a Mgmt Co and take pride in the care we take of our unit. I’m not sure how you would get in touch with me but DM me (or whatever it is you do, lol) if you are interested. I would feel very comfortable living there by myself and none of our tenants have ever reported any problems.

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Impossible_Watch7154 t1_j5j6qc5 wrote

Crime levels in CT are a much different animal than on the west coast. Certain parts of many towns in Connecticut and New England will have certain areas that can be described as 'sketchy'- but not teaming with criminal activity.

Hartford, New Haven & Waterbury have areas that are more dangerous. Middletown no. You might look into Portland CT- across the Connecticut river from Middletown-

Other towns to consider are West Hartford, Wethersfield, Newington, South Windsor, Glastonbury, Vernon to name a few- CT has rates in to top six states for low crime.

Yes, 3000 miles away is a leap. But these days in CT seeing more auto plates with Cali plates- you will not be alone.

I would look into Zillow, Realtor.com or other sites for rental/leases.

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Vivian326619 t1_j5ji0ug wrote

As long as you don't go up the hill to the State Hospital CVH you'll be fine.

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crankygeese t1_j5jwu2v wrote

Middletown is fine. There’s a few areas in the North End that can be a bit iffy, but overall it’s a great city and safe.

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AmandaRL514 t1_j5ldn6a wrote

I don't think you need to worry about Middletown. I hope you feel this way too, when you get here :)

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juliarad290 t1_j5mz0b1 wrote

I'm a women and I've lived here alone for a couple years. I really love it here and wouldn't want to be anywhere else. Like others have said, I would avoid the north end just for peace of mind. I live a place downtown and I found it through Craigslist. Beautiful place, great landlady and walking distance to so much great food

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laceyourbootsup t1_j5hj7s0 wrote

Love the downvotes….if you think Middletown is a great town you have wool over your eyes.

Just check the Middletown School ratings, always an easy indicator of the quality of a town in Connecticut. They rank in the bottom quarter with below average test scores, far below average reading and below avg graduation rates.

They see also in the top quarter for crime.

I realize Middletown once had some great areas not too long ago and some of those folks stayed, but it’s a decaying town for safety. People 20 years ago said the same thing about New Britain… the problem is that the towns only get worse. Families with a choice move out.

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Financial-Tough-250 t1_j5honru wrote

Lol lol go travel the USA you will see CT is a paradise compared to most of the country. We are very sheltered in CT even our poor cities look good compared to many places in the US especially the western cities dealing with homelessness and drug epidemic.

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laceyourbootsup t1_j5hqisi wrote

I’ve lived in multiple cities in the US and abroad including Chicago and Atlanta.

CT is know for its suburbs. CT is a commuter state. People don’t live in Middletown for “city life”. Go hang out at the bars and restaurants in downtown and ask people where they live.

West Hartford, Stamford, Fairfield have city life like you are referencing.

Hartford, CT is a ghost town after 6 pm. Do Not Live there.

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STODracula t1_j5i5ulw wrote

CT in general is quite safe compared to most places in the US and I've also lived in other cities in other states. The school systems here are, in general, way better than anywhere else except maybe Mass so that's a poor measurement stick to use. Even the cities people talk so bad about in this state (and I've lived in two of those) have large areas that are as safe as the nicer cities, and even the "bad" areas are a joke compared to cities in other states.

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CGGamer t1_j5j23s2 wrote

The so called "dangerous area" OP is talking about is a college downtown. Looking at statistics isn't a good measure of actual livability. Main Street is safe, and Middletown is not in ths same tier as the actual undesirable cities to live in

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soupie123 t1_j5ffbqm wrote

I'd have a dog, but that's me

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joeya20001 t1_j5gs6gi wrote

Nope, no place is safe for a woman to live alone

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AnonymousB_ t1_j5gbgfn wrote

Just stay away from Meriden, New Haven, Bridgeport, Bristol, n honestly, if you can find a better place than Middletown, avoid that too loll. Fairfield is a good place, Stratford, Milford, Norwalk, basically those areas are pretty safe.

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laceyourbootsup t1_j5fkxfn wrote

All anecdotal stuff above and this is very hard to answer depending on what your level of safety is.

The real answer is that most people with a choice would not choose Middletown for rent unless it is a section away from downtown, like in the “Condo Heaven” section on the Cromwell line.

Downtown Middletown/Main street houses a homeless shelter and is a haven for poverty, drugs, and crime. It’s ok to visit for a night out because of the restaurants/bars but you don’t want to live there.

My advice would be Cromwell, Rocky Hill, or Glastonbury if you are looking to rent. You can visit Middletown anytime, no need to live there

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IndicationOver t1_j5g9qq0 wrote

>You can visit Middletown anytime, no need to live there

Same can be said for Cromwell, Rocky Hill or Glastonbury

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laceyourbootsup t1_j5gcnmt wrote

Except for the fact that Cromwell, Rocky Hill, and Glastonbury are considered safe towns and crime statistics do not place any of them in the category that Middletown sits.

Middletown is just below the major cities in CT in crime data. Waterbury, Bridgeport, Hartford, New London, New Britain, Meriden, Hamden are the top of the field for non-ideal towns. Middletown sits in the next category.

What Middletown had going for it is the high number of condo and apartments in their safe zone on the Cromwell side as well as their country side on the Middlefield/Durham border. Towns like Meriden and New Britain do not have those zones which makes the violent crime rates one notch higher.

Can you be safe in Middletown?- sure. But I don’t know why someone who has a choice would go there. You can have the same rent prices, much safer immediate surroundings, and an easy commute in the surrounding towns of Middletown.

I am a former Middletown resident of 8 years and extremely familiar with the town and each of the surrounding towns. I enjoyed Middletown for condo Heaven when I was younger and being able to socialize with surrounding complexes. It was a nice younger lifestyle. As soon as kids were on the table…vroom…..

If you think Middletowns school system is ideal, you are not looking. It’s a war zone

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painterlyjeans t1_j5i4ui2 wrote

They only good thing about Cromwell is getting the hell out. Same can be said about Rocky Hill or Glastonbury. Glastonbury is nice in the fall but they're are so boring. I grew up there. Middletown is the only thing that gives those places life.

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Financial-Tough-250 t1_j5hnb2m wrote

Cromwell and Rocky Hill are the most boring Hartford suburbs. I would avoid living there at all costs. Glastonbury is nice but very expensive/ snobby. Middletown is interesting and has an arts scene, great restaurants. Natural food market I love. Small movie theater.

I also recommend Hartford or West Hartford.

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Pancrat t1_j5fiyba wrote

Doesn’t look or feel safe and like people are saying there’s clearly a bad part of town and that spills over. There are much more pleasant areas nearby to live. Portland, rocky hill and Cromwell come to mind.

I’m okay with being downvoted by telling you the honest truth that absolutely not will you be completely safe in Middletown-it’s 100% one of the largest hubs of drug users in the state. The food pantry on Main Street is one of the most visited in the state, I’ve volunteered there. That being said it’s a far step from being some sort of hellscape. It’s just, relatively, one of the worst areas in ct and idk why people would pretend otherwise then that they live there and can’t admit it. I have family that way in Hartford even though there’s regularly a murder around the corner

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Larrik t1_j5fta7z wrote

There’s no way Middletown is worse than Meriden or New Britain, never mind places like Bridgeport.

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decepticon67 t1_j5g2u14 wrote

Waterbury, New Haven, Hartford lol dudes cracked out of his mind

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Pancrat t1_j5g4qgu wrote

I didn’t say it’s the worst place in ct I said it’s amongst them and there’s way better alternatives to consider if you’re moving across the country to live here.

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IndicationOver t1_j5ga4wa wrote

If you are scared of cities and diversity, I guess Middletown is not for you. If you want to live in a predominantly white suburb CT has many options for that.

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Pancrat t1_j5gahte wrote

I’m not scared of I’m rational. Idk where you live but I’m in Hartford right now, I’ve been attacked by dogs, my elderly neighbor was knocked out and robbed outside of his home recently, I can’t stop thinking about a kidnapping I witnessed. You can try and make things weird and racial all you want for whatever reason, but parts of ct fucking suck.

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Independent_Low614 t1_j5gjpez wrote

...OK....and Middletown is nowhere near that bad. If you think it is, you need to expand you world view or something.

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Financial-Tough-250 t1_j5hnw5f wrote

Compared to Seattle Middletown is a quiet small city with a very very small amount of drug activity on the main st. No tents anywhere, no one sleeping on the street. Crime in Middletown is nothing compared to the much poorer cities in CT- Hartford New Haven Waterbury Bridgeport. Even in CT’s cities the homelessness/ drug activity pales in comparison to west coast.

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Adorable-Hedgehog-31 t1_j5f3ze9 wrote

All CT cities are relatively high in crime, but downtown Middletown is probably the safest of them. It's a college town so you'll see some of that kind of activity, but just stay away from the 'hood' areas and you'll be fine.

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DarthLysergis t1_j5f5gwh wrote

"All CT cities are relatively high in crime"

CT is between 47th and 48th in crime in the US. So saying our cities are high in crime is like saying your sugar-free ice tea is too sweet

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RunnyDischarge t1_j5f8fv3 wrote

I guess they meant relative to the three most safetest states

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