Living in Hartford, CT: Historic Charm and Urban Vibes

Hartford, CT is one of America's most historic cities, home to the iconic Mark Twain house, as well as neighborhoods and districts dating back to the Colonial and Victorian Eras. Downtown you’ll find theaters, museums, and parks, not to mention cafes, restaurants, as well as some of the largest financial institutions in the country. It’s a dynamic and welcoming community that offers something for everyone. So whether you’re interested in raising a family, pursuing a career, or simply drawn by the New England lifestyle, here is a short guide to living in Hartford.

Cost of Living

While Hartford is a little expensive by national standards due to elevated utility costs, it's still one of the most affordable cities in Connecticut, thanks mostly to its low-cost housing market. The average home in Hartford currently sells for nearly fifty percent below the national average ($179,000 vs. $358,000), while the average renter pays ten percent less than they would in most major cities ($1,585 vs. $1,748).

Job Market

Hartford is the capital of Connecticut. But while state government jobs are a steady source of income, the city is more famous as the “Insurance Capital of the World.” Some of America’s largest insurance companies and investment groups are headquartered in and around the city, including:

• Aetna
• The Hartford Financial Service Group
• Cigna
• AQR Capital Management
• Liberty Bank

Hartford HealthCare and Saint Francis Hospital are also some of the biggest employers in the area, providing a wide range of routine and advanced medical services to residents in and around the city. The Hartford-East Hartford-Middletown metropolitan area also has an unusually high concentration of life science companies, mostly specializing in the development and manufacture of pharmaceuticals, surgical tools, and medical equipment.

Aerospace and defense manufacturing also contribute. Pratt & Whitney and Collins Aerospace operate facilities in the Hartford area, producing aircraft engines and components for civilian and military use.

Colleges and universities play an active role as well. Trinity College, Wesleyan University, the University of Hartford, Central Connecticut State University, and the University of Connecticut School of Law not only increase opportunities for educators, researchers, and administrators, but improve the skills of the city’s workforce, making it more attractive to businesses and entrepreneurs.

Arts & Culture

Hartford has a thriving arts scene, with several historic and contemporary institutions dedicated to music, theater, and the visual arts. Residents interested in exploring the city’s rich, cultural landscape should begin with:

• Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts. The Bushnell Center hosts concerts, comedians, Broadway shows, and stage magicians throughout the year. Its Art Deco theater is also one of the most famous architectural gems in the city.
• Hartford Symphony Orchestra. Hartford’s premier venue for live music. In addition to traditional composers, such as Mozart, Rachmaninoff, and George Gershwin, it also puts on concerts dedicated to modern artists and pop culture.
• Harriet Beecher Stowe Center. This nontraditional museum is committed to the spirit and memory of Harriet Beecher Stowe, author of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” In addition to preserving her works, it also advocates for social justice and literary activism.
• Mark Twain House & Museum. Focuses on the writings and cultural legacy of Mark Twain, who lived in Hartford from 1874-1891. Visitors can tour his home and learn more about his perspective on American life and the American character.
• Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art. The oldest continuously operating museum in the United States, the Wadsworth museum houses works by some of the most accomplished painters of the past 500 years, including Caravaggio, Claude Monet, Salvador Dalí, and Georgia O’Keeffe. They also have a large collection of modern art and host traveling exhibitions from across the world.

The city also features several prominent art galleries, including ArtSpace Hartford and Open Studio Hartford, which showcase local painters and craftsmen. Riverfront Recapture, a nonprofit that maintains several parks along the Connecticut River, also hosts several outdoor concerts during summer. Music lovers will also enjoy the Greater Hartford Festival of Jazz, which attracts accomplished musicians from around the country and overseas.

Neighborhoods

The city of Hartford is made up of a diverse array of neighborhoods, each with its own character, comforts, and attractions. While each community has plenty to recommend it, newcomers tend to settle in:

West End

Generally considered the most liberal part of the city, the West End is a cozy neighborhood with an active civic association that organizes fun and exciting community events throughout the year. It also contains many of the city’s most beautiful and historic houses, some of which were constructed as far back as the 1920’s. Due to its proximity to the University of Connecticut and the University of Connecticut Law School, many of the homes have been converted into student housing.

The food scene is particularly active here. Parkville Market, Connecticut’s first food hall, opened here in 2020 and contains 22 restaurants specializing in poke, pho, chicken wings, French fries, Jamaican chicken, and more. You’ll find more restaurants along Park Street, with cuisine from all over the world.

Residents who prefer cooking at home won’t want to miss the West End Farmer’s Market, held every Tuesday - rain, shine, or snow. The bars stay open late most nights as well. In addition to their craft beers and cocktails, they also host live music and games, including duckpin bowling.

The West End Civic Association (WECA) is one of the largest community groups in Hartford. Besides advocating for new housing and commercial developments, it also organizes sled derbies, charity events, public movie screenings, and Porchfest - an annual party that encourages residents to share their musical talents by performing live in front of their homes.

Living in West End also gives you access to Elizabeth Park, one of the most beautifully cultivated botanical conservatories in the northeast United States. Visitors can stroll through over a hundred acres of gardens, greenhouses, and recreation areas, including the Pond House - one of the city’s most elegant cafes and banquet halls.

South End

Once a predominantly Italian neighborhood, the South End is now home to a wide range of immigrant communities, including Peruvians, Colombians, Africans, Albanians, and Bosnians, many of whom came to the United States during the 1990s. Franklin Avenue, once the heart of Little Italy, is now home to a huge range of specialty shops selling traditional recipes from Mexico, Puerto Rico, South America, and the Mediterranean. However, you’ll still find plenty of Italian delis and pastry shops, not to mention some of the best pizzerias in the city.

Two of the city’s most popular breweries (Phantom Brewing Company and Thomas Hooker at the Colt) are located here as well - famous for their craft beer and incredible atmosphere. Thirsty residents can also enjoy a drink at First & Last Tavern, which has been serving patrons continuously since 1936.

The majority of the neighborhood’s diners and shopping centers are within walking distance of most residents, making it an easy place to get around and run errands. Residents don’t have to travel far to find green spaces either. Goodwin Park, located on the southeast corner of the neighborhood, is one of the largest parks in the city and offers a wide range of outdoor activities, including a playground, fitness circuit, baseball diamond, community pool, and pond house, as well as tennis and basketball courts, multiple picnic areas, and a splash pad to help people cool off on hot summer days.

Asylum Hill

In 1821, the American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb was built on Lords Hill outside Hartford. Due to its prominent location, locals began referring to the area as “Asylum Hill" and the name stuck. However, the asylum itself no longer exists. It relocated to a larger building nearby and was renamed the American School for the Deaf in West Hartford.

The area experienced a downturn during the late 20th century, when many of its businesses relocated to areas outside the city. However, the neighborhood has been slowly reviving thanks to an influx of Asian and African immigrants, as well as the efforts of the Asylum Hill Neighborhood Association, which has launched numerous initiatives to improve quality of life, revitalize the area’s public schools, and attract more homeowners to the area.

In addition to its historical housing stock, Asylum Hill is also the corporate headquarters of the Hartford and Aetna Insurance companies, and home to Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, one of the largest healthcare providers in the city. With easy access to downtown and a unique blend of small businesses, churches, schools, libraries, multi-unit housing, and public transportation, it’s a friendly and convenient place for families and professionals.

Downtown Hartford

Downtown Hartford is the commercial and cultural center of the city. While most corporate activity still revolves around the insurance and financial industries, a number of startups have sprung up over the past several years, attracting a lot of fresh, young, creative talent who have helped stimulate the downtown nightlife.

On the weekend, you’ll find people packed into pubs such as the Pig’s Eye, Arch Street Tavern, and the Lady, which has three floors of drinking, dancing, and music provided by some of the best DJs in the state. On Pratt Street, the city has transformed one of its most historic avenues into an innovative shopping and dining experience. Now reserved exclusively for pedestrians, this historic avenue is one of the most popular gathering spots in the city, with outdoor yoga classes, salsa socials, puppy hours, and happy hours.

Living downtown also gives you access to Bushnell Park and the Riverfront Recapture Park System. While not the largest park in the city, Bushnell is where most of the city’s main events are celebrated, including the Hartford City marathon and the Capital Groove Music Festival. Along the riverfront, you’ll find jogging trails and bike paths, as well as boating and fishing access, plus performance stages featuring live music.

Downtown is also where you’ll find most of the city’s museums and galleries, including the Wadsworth Atheneum and Art Walk at the Hartford Public Library. At XL Center you’ll find explosive action whenever the Hartford Wolf Pack is in town. They’re an AHL team affiliated with the New York Rangers. XL Center is also the place to catch UConn Huskie basketball, while baseball fans can head over to Dunkin’ Park to cheer on the Hartford Yard Goats, a Double-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.

Sheldon/Charter Oak

Named after the famous Charter Oak Tree, symbol of colonial resistance to British rule, Sheldon/Charter Oak is an up-and-coming neighborhood built atop one of the oldest parts of the city. Though the area suffered a decline during the late 1990s, revitalization efforts have transformed it into one of the most attractive parts of the city. Three new public streets have been added, and the development of modern townhomes and apartments have expanded housing options.

Convenient highway access makes it easy to commute downtown or to smaller communities outside the city, such as Glastonbury, Windsor, Manchester, Newington, and New Britain. It also hosts sports events at Trinity Health Stadium, home of the city’s professional soccer team, the Hartford Athletic. Along the eastern edge of the neighborhood is Charter Oak Landing, which provides access to the river and the broader Riverfront Park System. Further inland is Colt Park, a popular destination full of playscapes, splash pads, and sports fields, as well as a community swimming pool.

At the Charter Oak Cultural Center residents can enjoy a variety of professional performances and exhibitions, including music, dance, theater, and visual art shows. Originally a synagogue, the center also organizes classes for children designed to foster their creativity and broaden their knowledge of world cultures.

Bus System

Hartford is part of CT Transit, Connecticut’s public transportation system. With stops every 2-3 blocks, it links the northern, southern, eastern, and western ends of the city, making it easy for residents to travel from home to work and major points of interest in their community. For trips outside the city, residents can purchase a ticket for CTfastrak, which provides direct service to outlying communities on bus-only roadways. There are also express services that operate seven days a week, with routes to Avon, Stamford, and New Haven - giving every Hartford resident an affordable way to travel from one end of the state to the other. 

Moving to Hartford, CT

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