Places › Connecticut › New London

Living in New London, CT

Small city in Connecticut

New London is a small city in Connecticut, home to about 27,000 people, with 274,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, you can walk or take transit almost everywhere. Life moves at a moderate pace, and homes are mostly apartments.

Is New London a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Mild summers: highs around 78°F
  • Great outdoors: coast or a lake close by
  • Low natural disaster risk: 11 federally declared disasters since 2000
  • Strong healthcare: 3 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi

👎 Cons

  • Higher taxes: about $3,118 state income tax per resident, 2.06% property tax
  • Weaker public schools: test results well below the US average
  • Fewer graduates: 29% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher
  • Fewer family amenities than most places

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how New London ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
27,000
274,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
41°F / 78°F
Average daily highs · 25″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$340k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$2,410/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
100
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$3,118
State income tax per resident · 2.06% property tax
Safety
0.8× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
11 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, hurricanes
Top-rated hospitals
3
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Public schools
Poor
Tests well below US average · 14 students per teacher
Adults with a degree
29%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
PVD
44 mi away

Living in New London: common questions

What is the cost of living in New London?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $340k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $2,410 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are close to the US average (index 100, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in New London?

Connecticut collects about $3,118 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 2.06% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is New London safe?

Violent crime is close to the national rate (0.8× in FBI 2019 data).

How are the schools in New London?

Public schools in New London test well below the US average in math and reading (2018–19 state tests, put on one national scale with NAEP), with about 14 students per teacher.

What is the weather like in New London?

New London has cold winters: winter days average around 41°F and summer days around 78°F, with roughly 25″ of snow a year.

Does New London get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is low, mainly from flooding and hurricanes: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.1 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to New London?

The nearest major airport is PVD, about 44 mi away.

How New London scores

Each bar compares New London with the other 1,990 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City sizeSmall town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quietUrban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting aroundWalk & transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or natureNature on the doorstep Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️ClimateCold winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of livingAverage cost Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️PaceModerate pace Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝CommunityPrivate AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡HousingApartments ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housingGood
💸Low taxesPoor
💼Job marketBelow average
🏥HealthcareGood
🏫SchoolsPoor
🎓EducationPoor
🧸Kids & familyBelow average
🐕Dog-friendlyAverage
⛰️OutdoorsExcellent
🎭CultureAverage
👮SafetySafe
🌪️Few natural disastersExcellent
☀️SunnyBelow average
🌤️Mild summersExcellent
✈️AirportGood

Places like New London

These places have the most similar overall profile across all 24 aspects.

The circle is each place's all-round score out of 100: the average of its 15 quality scores, from red (poor) to green (excellent).

Poughkeepsie, NYSmall city49 $301k$2,510/moVery safe Kingston, NYSmall town52 $323k$2,250/moSafe Easton, PASmall city58 $355k$2,090/moNo crime data Troy, NYSmall city50 $302k$2,040/moModerate crime West Warwick, RISuburb58 $426k$2,090/moVery safe Atlantic City, NJSmall city42 $263k$2,590/moHigher crime

Nearby

Groton, CTSmall city · 4 mi away59 $454k$2,410/moVery safe Norwich, CTSmall city · 15 mi away55 $324k$2,410/moSafe East Hampton, NYSmall city · 23 mi away50 $1.67M$3,560/moNo crime data South Kingstown, RICollege town · 31 mi away74 $710k$2,090/moVery safe Middletown, CTSmall city · 33 mi away59 $387k$2,240/moVery safe Glastonbury, CTSmall city · 34 mi away65 $505k$2,240/moVery safe

See all the best places to live in Connecticut.

Is New London right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

Take the free quiz →

Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.