The town of Norwalk is the fourth along Connecticut's Gold Coast and is packed with 18 different neighborhoods, each with something unique to offer. You could say you have options, but that would be an understatement.
From the beautiful waterfront homes of Rowayton, to the hustle and bustle of downtown SONO, Norwalk has what you are looking for, you just have to know where to look...
Want to Know Where a Neighborhood Is?
One of the reasons that neighborhood maps are so hard to come by is that everyone has an opinion as to where the boundaries lie. While there are few exact neighborhood boundaries, we have used the consensus of local agents, and the listing service we use, to create the neighborhood maps below.
Norwalk CT Neighborhood Map >>
Which Neighborhood is for you?
Rowayton
One of the most sought after neighborhoods in Norwalk, Rowayton is a picturesque image of casual coastal living, with a strong sense of community.
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Beach
There are few things that could make the summer more enjoyable than living steps away from one of the best public beaches in Fairfield County. The Beach neighborhood is never farther than walking distance from Calf Pasture and Shady Beaches.
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Bettswood
North of East Norwalk's central location around it's train station is the quieter neighborhood of Bettswood. Here you can get a taste of suburban living without forfeiting the benefits of an easy commute.
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Broad River
The Broad River neighborhood offers plenty of single family homes anywhere from quaint to stunning. It is also never farther than a short drive to the Route 7 connecter which offers easy access to the Merritt Parkway, the Boston Post Road, and I95.
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Brookside
Sharing a border with Darien to the west, and Rowayton to the south, the Brookside neighborhood is caught between two of the Gold Coast's most coveted areas. This neighborhood also provides easy access to the Rowayton train station which makes it a perfect location for commuters.
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Cranbury
Positioned as the northeastern most neighborhood in Norwalk, Cranbury offers a more rural feel than much of the rest of town. The area is heavily wooded which provides a sense of privacy hard to come by in other parts of the county.
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Downtown
While not quite as bustling as Downtown Stamford or Greenwich, Downtown Norwalk offers some highly rated restaurants and plenty of other amenities. The area is very charming and features some newly built high-rises which are constantly drawing more and more people to the area.
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East Norwalk
East Norwalk offers some beautiful single family homes and is a great choice for New York City commuters due to the East Norwalk Train Station. It is also adjacent to the Beach neighborhood which means you have easy access to the stunning views of the Long Island Sound.
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Harbor
Adjacent to Rowayton is the Harbor neighborhood. Here you can find much of the same waterfront beauty and sandy shores, while being closer to the amenities of SONO and South Norwalk.
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Merritt 7
While much of the Merritt 7 neighborhood has more of an industrial feel, many home buyers choose a single family home in this location due to it's close proximity to the parkway after which it's named.
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Sasqua Hills
The Sasqua Hills neighborhood shares a border with Westport and is one of the best options for traditional suburban living in Norwalk. It also finds itself in a prime location for residents to have a choice between the Westport train station and the East Norwalk train station.
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Silvermine
Silvermine is split between Norwalk to the south and New Canaan to the North. The area is steeped with a deep history dating back to the late seventeenth century and offers some beautiful Colonial and Ranch style homes.
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SONO
The SONO neighborhood offers plenty of hip shopping and dining options and is one of the best walkable areas in Norwalk. If you'd love to be near top notch restaurants, plentiful shopping, and a seaside atmosphere, be sure to explore SONO.
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South Norwalk
South Norwalk is another fantastic option for New York City commuters. It offers some nice single family homes with an affordable price tag, and also has it's own train station right in the heart of the neighborhood.
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West Norwalk
The Westernmost neighborhood in Norwalk, West Norwalk has the best of both worlds. It offers a suburban lifestyle away from the busier parts of town, but is also home to a large portion of the Boston Post Road which has countless highly rated stores and restaurants.
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West Rocks
Located next to the Cranbury neighborhood, West Rocks shares much of the same rural charm but in a location closer to the Route 7 connector, which provides easy access the Merritt Parkway and I95.
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Williams
North of Sasqua Hills, the Williams neighborhood provides many of the same benefits, including easy access to both the Westport and East Norwalk stations. Sharing a border with Westport gives this neighborhood an upscale suburban feel.
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Wolfpit
The Wolfpit neighborhood used to be a trail for Native Americans who traversed the area hunting wolves. Nowadays, you won't find any wolves, but you will find a beautiful suburban neighborhood with gorgeous homes and a strong sense of community.
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How Safe Is Norwalk?
You probably know that Connecticut is much safer than the US average. Many Gold Coast towns have virtually no violent crime according to Neighborhood Scout. Many of our clients also search the sex offender registry before renting or purchasing.
Is the Area Diverse? What Are the Demographics?
Use the link below to access population, demographic and economic information for Norwalk...
How Are the Schools in Norwalk?
There are many good websites for school information. I have found that they all basically say the same thing: Many of our towns rank very high, and other towns rank much lower compared to the neighboring towns. To be frank, the website that is the most user-friendly to you is the one you should use. Many of our clients use greatschools.org, below is a link to their ratings of the Norwalk school system.
Public School Websites
Below is a link to the Norwalk school district website so you can learn everything you need to know before deciding to send your child there.
Norwalk CT School District Website >>
Which Public Schools Will Your Child Go To?
Most towns have defined areas for each school. Sites like Great Schools and Niche are great for research, but the town's school administration makes the final decision on which addresses go to what school, and the street lists do change. For this reason, you cannot count on the information provided by anyone except the official public school websites. Before purchasing or renting a home, check if it belongs to the school district you desire.
Train Times? Station Parking?
There are 4 train stations in Norwalk, so if you are commuting to the NYC you have plenty of options if you want to live near the train.
To the right, you can see the approximate time each train station takes to get to Grand Central. From bottom to top the stations appear as follows: Rowayton, South Norwalk, East Norwalk, and Merritt 7.
In the station-by-station breakdowns below, I cover all of the Norwalk train stations. You will get parking maps where available, parking permit information, the stations that typically have the shortest waitlist for a parking pass, parking rates, train schedules and tips to help you choose the best station.
*Commute time estimates are pre-covid. We expect Metro North to return to its old schedule.
Norwalk Train Stations
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What are the Best Things to Do in Norwalk CT?
SONO Restaurants
If you're a fan of trying out new cuisines from all over the world, you are going to love the SONO area. This neighborhood, particularly the area around Washington Street, its packed with highly rated sit down restaurants, and places to grab a quick bite. 
Maritime Aquarium
Widely considered one of the best aquariums in Connecticut, the Maritime Aquarium is a fantastic place to take the kids for a weekend day-trip. It's exhibits feature all manner of oceanic life such as sharks, seals, jellyfish, otters, sea turtles, and even a Ray touching pool! When you come to the Maritime Aquarium you are guaranteed to walk out with memories that will last a lifetime.
Stew Leonard's
Stew Leonard's began as a small Dairy store in 1969, and grew into one of the most respected grocery brands in Connecticut. Stew Leonard's values itself on creating high quality food, and satisfied customers. They have a bakery, a butcher, a deli, a florist, and so much more! They even have an excellent prepared food section if you are in the area and looking for a quick bite.
SONO Collection Mall
The SoNo Collection is a spectacular shopping, dining, art, and entertainment destination located near I-95 in Norwalk, Connecticut. It is home to many high end retailers such as Apple, Bloomingdales, H&M, Nordstrom, Swarovski, Zara, and so many more.
Attractions you Might Leave Norwalk For
Greenwich Ave Shopping - Greenwich, CT
If you are looking for places to shop, you cannot go wrong with the shopping area on Greenwich Ave in Greenwich. There is dozens of high end national retailers, and local businesses to support as well. That in combination with the countless high quality restaurants in the area means you will never run out of things to do in Greenwich.
Avon Theatre - Stamford, CT
Widely considered one of the best aquariums in Connecticut, the Maritime Aquarium is a fantastic place to take the kids for a weekend day-trip. It's exhibits feature all manner of oceanic life such as sharks, seals, jellyfish, otters, sea turtles, and even a Ray touching pool! When you come to the Maritime Aquarium you are guaranteed to walk out with memories that will last a lifetime.
Alive@Five - Stamford, CT
Thursday nights in Mill River Park have become a ritual in Stamford Downtown with great music, great dancing and great times! Alive@Five is an annual concert series featuring live music from national and regional headliners. Past Performers have included: Gavin DeGraw, Sean Kingston, Sammy Adams, CeeLo Green, Ziggy Marley, Shaggy, and so many more.
*21+ Only
How are the Taxes in Norwalk?
The low taxes in Fairfield County are a large part of the reason many financially savvy people choose to live here. Below, you can find the Mill Rates for all Fairfield County towns and compare for yourself.
Fairfield County Mill Rate Lookup >>
What's Going on in the Norwalk Real Estate Market?
Whether you're looking to buy or sell, it is always a wise decision to understand the Real Estate market you are entering into. Below is a link to our Norwalk Market report, where you can see the effect COVID-19 had on the market, create a custom market report, or even analyze the past 12 months of housing data. The data from that page is updated on the first of every month.
Are There Good Walkable Areas In Norwalk?
Usually when people are looking for good walkable areas in a town, they are looking for something nearby either grocery stores, shopping areas, restaurants, train stations, or beaches. In this video I will show you the best areas to go for a stroll no matter which of these you are looking for!
Commuting by Car?
If you plan on commuting to work by car then you probably want to know exactly how long it will take. Luckily there is a feature in Google Maps that can estimate your commute time. To find out how long it will take, do the following:
1. Go to Google Maps.
2. Click Directions
3. Enter the address of the home you are considering for the starting point, and your work address for the destination.
4. Click the "Leave Now" drop down and select "Arrive By", then input the time you need to arrive at work by.
5. This will give you an estimation of your commute time from the home you are considering.
How Far is Norwalk from the Major Airports?
Whether you have to travel for work or play, the closer you live to the airport means the less stressful those inevitable travel days have to be. Below are rough estimates for the commute times you can expect to the major airports in the greater New York area.
*Commute times are calculated using Google maps, and do not account for traffic.
John F. Kennedy Airport - 1 Hour
LaGuardia Airport - 1 Hour
Westchester County Airport - 30 Minutes
Still Unsure if Norwalk is For You?
If you're still at the point in your search where you're weighing the pros and cons of Norwalk and the rest of the towns in lower Fairfield County, then you should definitely check out our Comparison Guide.
In the guide you will have a direct comparison of each town, so you can see how their schools, crime ratings, commute times, and housing prices, stack up against one another.
Fairfield County CT Comparison Guide >>
How to Avoid Regretting Your Purchase
Before You Set the Showing
1. Head over to Google Maps, enter the address and do a satellite view. Look out for things like railroad tracks, cemeteries, water towers, high tension wires, highways and proximity to industrial areas. That home that looks like a great deal might turn out to be a dud. Also, be sure to use Google to check the time to the train station and/or other important town amenities.
2. While you are there, do a street view and walk the neighborhood. Keep in mind that it takes Google several years to get back to some neighborhoods, so that neighbor with the yellow house...Well, it might not be yellow anymore.
3. Put the home's address into Google, and search several pages in. The first few pages are likely to be filled up with real estate agency listings, so you will need to dig deeper to find out if there is any news on the home.
4. Check that your phone has cellular service at the address.
5. Head over to the sex offender registry and enter the address
6. If you are able to do a drive-by, I would recommend it.
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After the Showing
Are you thinking about making an offer? What concerns did you have during the showing?
See if the property disclosure is available, it's a document that seller fills out which discloses any known issues with the home.
Have us call the listing agent to get answers on specific questions.
After the offer is accepted, you will have the opportunity to do an inspection, so it's best make a list of any building concerns for your inspector. We also recommend radon air testing for every home. Some additional inspections may be required depending on the home.
In Connecticut, a good lawyer will check for open building permits, oil tank removal documentation, and for title issues.
Where Are the Property Lines?
Few if any Connecticut lenders require a land survey when purchasing a property. For this reason, it's difficult to know exactly where the property lines are. One easy way to approximate a property line is to open Google Maps on your phone when you are on the property. A blue dot will show your location on the property. Most, but not all the time, there will be faint gray lines that indicate the property boundaries. Walk towards the property lines until the blue dot hovers over the faint gray line to determine where the property lines are. Keep in mind that this is an approximation, but we have found that most buyers are satisfied with this solution. If you have concerns about the property boundaries, you can always make a property survey a condition of the sale.
How Does the Home Buying Process Work in Connecticut?
1. In Norwalk, you submit a written offer, a check for 1% of the offer price (refundable, goes toward the purchase), signed disclosures and a pre-approval letter from your mortgage broker or proof of cash funds (bank statements).
2. Once price and terms are agreed to, you typically have 7-10 days to complete your inspections.
3. Assuming both the buyer and seller are in agreement post-inspection, you will go to your lawyers office to sign the sale contract and submit any additional deposit money. We do not use title companies to transfer title in Connecticut; this will be handled by your real estate lawyer. You should use a local lawyer, and we can provide recommendations.
4. The mortgage and legal process typically takes 4-8 weeks.
This is a simple overview. Each property, mortgage and town likely has a unique process and we will walk you through each step of the way.
You Made It! Now What?
About a Week Before Closing
1. Call the utility companies and have them switch the utilities to your name on the closing date. Utility provider information for each Gold Coast town is included below.
2. Have the USPS forward your mail to your new address.
After Closing
1. Change your locks. Recommend locksmiths are included below.
2. Go to town hall to get your dog license...or get a dog! Welcome to the 'burbs!
3. New to Connecticut? Find a DMV office to register your car and get a Connecticut license. You can also register to vote when you get your Connecticut license.
Can You Recommend a Locksmith?
It would be my pleasure. Whatever you do, avoid the big box stores and kiosks for key service. The quality of the keys are poor and you will likely regret it. These three locksmiths provide excellent quality and service on a consistent basis.
Cross River Lock (On-Site & Mobile) website >>
117 Main St, Norwalk CT 06851 (203) 845-8700
Wizard Locksmiths (Mobile Only - 24hr) website >>
(203) 721-6990 *ask for the 10% move-in discount
Who Are My Norwalk Utility Providers?
* Water and Sewer will be activated by your Lawyer upon closing.
Electric: South Norwalk Electric & Water 203-866-4446
Electric: East Norwalk Electric: 203-866-9271
Electric: Eversource 800-286-2000
Gas: Eversource 800-989-0900
Public Water: First District Water Dept 203-847-7387
Public Water: South Norwalk Electric & Water 203-866-4446
Public Water: Aquarion 800-732-9678
Public Sewer: WPCA 203-854-3235
Cable/Internet/Phone: Enter your zip code at highspeedinternet.com/ct >>
Trash: Town Collection, Private Collection in some areas More Information >>
Heating Oil: Enter your new ZIP code at fuelsnap.com>>
Ready to find your next home? Call me direct 203-952-7752 or Schedule Your Call
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