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201309_BPL_SIMSBURY
Simsbury, CT
Rich Wagner—©Imagine it Framed

Top 50 rank: 50

Population: 23,689

Founded in 1670, this bucolic New England town is chock-full of historical houses and parks. With strict regulations on development, Simsbury has maintained 32% of its land as open space. Just 15 miles outside Hartford, the town is home to boutiques, farmers' markets, and five-star restaurants.

The open-air performing-arts center is summer home to the Hartford Symphony, while Olympic medalists have trained at the town's International Skating Center of Connecticut. --K.F.

Simsbury, CT

Town stats

Simsbury, CT

Town stats

Median family income (per year) $131,397
Job growth % (2010-2012) 5.13%
Median home price (2012) $270,000
Reading test scores (% above/below average) 20.5%
Math test scores (% above/below average) 18.3%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) 0
Property crime incidents (per 1,000) 8

Financials

Median family income (per year) $131,397
Family purchasing power (annual, cost-of-living adjusted) $105,957
Sales tax (state) 6.35%
State income tax rate (highest bracket) 6.70%I
State income tax rate (lowest bracket) 3.00%I
Auto insurance premiums (Average price quotes, for the state) $1,866
Job growth % (2010-2012) 5.13%

Financials

Housing

Median home price (2012) $270,000
Average property taxes (2012) $7,889

Housing

Education

Colleges, universities and professional schools (within 30 miles) 24
Reading test scores (% above/below state average) 20.5%
Test scores math (% above/below average) 18.3%
% students attending public/private schools (located within town limits) 77.6/22.4

Education

Quality of life

Air quality index* (% of days AQI ranked as good) 92.4%
Personal crime incidents (per 1,000) 0
Property crime incidents (per 1,000) 8
Median commute time (in minutes) 23.2
% population with commute 45 mins. or longer 11.9%
% population walk or bike to work 3.2%

Quality of life

Leisure and culture

Movie theaters (within 15 miles) 35
Restaurants (within 15 miles) 1,641
Bars (within 15 miles) 135
Public golf courses (within 30 miles) 166
Libraries (within 15 miles) 73
Museums (accredited by AAM; within 30 miles) 11
Ski resorts (within 100 miles) N.A.
Arts funding (Dollars per person of state funds spent on arts) 1.1

Leisure and culture

Weather

Annual rainfall (inches) 46.16
% clear days in the area 52%
High temp in July ° F 82.7°
Low temp in Jan ° F 14.1°

Weather

Meet the neighbors

Median age 42.8
Completed at least some college (% of residents) 82.8%
Married % 62.0%
Divorced % 5.3%
Racial diversity index (100 is national average; higher numbers indicate greater diversity) 35.4

Meet the neighbors