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MADISON-CONNECTICUT
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What Madison is like for active adults
Madison is a charming small town on Connecticut’s Long Island Sound. Its real estate values are the highest in Connecticut east (towards Boston) of New Haven, reflecting its desirability as a place to live.

As a retirement community there is much to find in Madison. It has a compact downtown with cute stores and the active, well-stocked E.C. Scranton Memorial Library. RJ Julia’s is one of the country’s top independent book stores, attracting best-selling authors on a regular basis. Located on a beautiful green is the First Congregational Church of Madison, a classic house of worship that dates to 1840. Graceful homes built by colonial sea captains flank both sides of the Boston Post Road (U.S. Route 1), reflecting the village’s heritage as a colonial ship-building center. The town features sandy beaches, private and public, that attract substantial numbers of “summer” residents.

Children and grandchildren love to visit this tourist destination, which is a plus. Transportation is good with a train station downtown that connects to Amtrak and (NY’s) Metro North in New Haven.

This upscale community has many desirable neighborhoods for active adults, including numerous developments featuring condos, town houses and 55+ associations. Some of the condo associations include The Mews, Windemere, Oxford Fells, Kensington Acres, Strathmore Farms, and many more. Average prices have been volatile as the number of homes selling has dipped. The median selling price went below $400,000 in early 2008, down significantly from 2007 levels.Condominiums can vary in price from the $200's to $1MM, dependent on which development.

For a list of profiles of over 400 cities and tcommunities go to retirement community reviews, or for more information on taxes and what it is like to retire in Connecticut.
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What is special about this community
• Walkable, charming downtown • Accessible public beaches – the Surf Club, East Wharf, West Wharf, Hammonasset State Park • RJ Julia’s Bookstore • Deacon John Grave House – house dating back to the 1600’s and continuously occupied by one family • E.C. Scranton Memorial Library – architect Henry Bacon (who designed the Lincoln Memorial in Washington)
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What is not special about this community
• There is lot traffic in the summer • Can feel a little bit like Disney Land • High property values make it expensive to move here -Town Government is predicting a minimum yearly property tax increase of 5-6% -Shoreline East trains servicing Madison do not run on weekends -Limited availability of restaurants in town and few restrooms in coffee houses -Big box shopping can be inconvenient distances away
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What kinds of people like living here
Madison is a growing, vital community with all types and ages of people living there. Increasingly it is pre-dominated by families with young children (there parents commute to New Haven, Hartford, or Fairfield County) and people over 60.
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Local economy is driven by
Education, banking and finance, medical, tourism, real estate, light manufacturing
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Physical environment
Madison is situated on the Long Island Sound. Going away from the water the land encounters a series of hilly ridges. Its climate is milder in winter and summer than just a few miles inland, thanks to waters of Long Island Sound.
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Cultural environment
The E.C. Scranton Memorial Library features many programs and a collection of over 115,000 books.  There are plans to expand the library to 40,000 sq. ft. with many new features such as a drive through book drop. Madison Arts Cinema features first run films. The Madison Sculpture Mile has dozens of significant sculptures placed in the downtown area. Occasional concerts on the green. RJ Julia’s Bookstore has frequent book talks by name authors. Many interesting art galleries are worth a visit. Long Wharf Theatre and the Yale Rep provide first rate plays in nearby New Haven.
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Medical facilities
• Yale New Haven Emergency Clinic (Guilford, 1 mile) • Yale New Haven Hospital (New Haven, 15 miles) • St. Raphael’s Hospital (New Haven, 15 miles) • Middlesex Hospital (Middletown, 20 miles)
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Transportation
• New Haven Airport (15 Miles) • Providence Airport (Providence 70 Miles) • Bradley Airport (Hartford, 70 miles)
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Showcase Listing
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 Madison Active Communities
Facts about MADISON
State:  CT
Environment:  Suburban,Coastal,Small Town,
City Population:  10,000-25,000
Median age of Population:  25-44
Avg Jan Temperature:  21-40
Median HH Income:  80,000+
Average Home Price (MLS):   $500,001+
Annual Property Tax on a $200,000 house:  2000-4000
Total Crime Index:  <80 (Very low)
Cost of Living Index:  111-120 (high)
Culture Index:  111-120 (high)
Name of the Guide:  jb
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