Sounds like you'd fit right in should you land in Fairfield County. Easy train ride to NYC if you do get into IT/CS, good night life in Stamford and Norwalk (to a lesser extent), lower crime than national average, tons and tons of great, diverse dining experiences, and an overall great quality of life.

You're also a short drive away from some of the better hiking spots in midstate/upstate, but Devil's Den, Lake Mohegan, the reservoir in Easton are all relatively close by if you need to get outdoors for a decent (but flat) hike. Housing costs/rent are probably more expensive than you're accustomed to in MN, but if you're in banking then you should still be financially comfortable.

> was born in Bridgeport, CT and lived in West Haven, CT till I was about 11 or 12 years old.

You made it out once, don't force yourself back

I really appreciate the feedback. This is the kind of stuff I like reading/knowing. Great advice.

Visit the area first. Make sure it’s what you remembered as times have changed…

We moved here from upstate NY and love it for the reasons you listed.

I absolutely plan on it. Any upcoming move won’t happen for about a year/year and a half because I have a lot of things to settle here first.

I recently moved (last year) from Hartford to Minneapolis. Grew up in southeast CT, have lived around the northeast for various reasons (Long Island, Providence, western MA). Here are my observations.

Minneapolis/St Paul metro values the actual cities more than any CT metro. The best bet in CT for urban amenities in my opinion is New Haven, or possible Stamford. Hartford is behind those two but making progress. Think public transit, housing, nightlife, pride/attitude. Can’t speak for Bridgeport, Waterbury, etc. Unfortunately a lot of the CT metros favor the suburbs, though I think this is slowly shifting. So know that in CT a lot of things people do in their free time are in small, adjacent towns to the city.

What I’ve realized is that the northeast region is so diverse in recreation which is kind of amazing. Access to NYC and Boston, tons of coastline, large and small mountains for skiing and hiking, unbelievable food scenes. CT does have a little bit of all of this which is a plus. Minneapolis is an excellent city, just with worse weather, and some regional limitations. They make the most out of it for sure though as city life here (in my opinion) is really great and very livable. I’ve found the cost of living to be somewhat similar.

I really miss New England but also like Minneapolis so far. Before moving I would focus on job security. It’s incredibly stressful to have to look once you’ve moved, it’s a recipe for disaster. Hope this helps.

I absolutely appreciate your post. Thank you so much. I completely agree with you for everything when it comes to Minneapolis. I don’t not like the city. I do like it, it’s just I’ve had the urge to go home the last couple years. I will take into heavy consideration your explanations for the various regions of CT and how they are compared to here. Thank you tons this really helped.

So I moved from the twin cities to the Hartford area 9 years ago. Hit me up if you have any questions.

Happy to help! Perhaps it seems strange to see New Haven listed as my first choice, I’ll share why. First, the food scene is incredible, best pizza hands down. Second it has a burgeoning biotech industry anchored by Yale, which compliments already strong Ed/med opportunities. Third it’s coastal so you get the charm that comes with that, and close proximity to decent beaches. Fourth it is a major transit hub, with easy and direct access to NYC and Boston. Fifth, there is a lot of recent press (including several pieces by The NY Times last year) about New Haven’s resurgence, focused around innovation, arts, etc. And New Haven metro is currently quite a bit cheaper than Fairfield county.

Best of luck!

Fairfield county is super expensive right now though, like, almost Los Angeles county. If you can't afford that, New Haven county is worthwhile. Lots of places within driving distance, plus trains to NYC anyway.

Thank You for you input/letting me know!

You will find things more expensive here. But, much more to do than Minnesota.

dont.