Living a Boating Lifestyle in Madison, Connecticut

Madison is a charming seacoast town on Connecticut’s Long Island Sound. You can keep your boat on a mooring at the Beach Club or town beach, or in front of your home if you have beach rights.  Sailors with larger boats keep them in a nearby town like Guilford, Clinton, or Westbrook. From here you can easily sail to Martha's Vineyard or Long Island.

There is much to like in this town of just under 19,000. 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. Here is a short TV feature about the town by a NYC TV station. 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.  You might also enjoy this Wall Street Journal article about Madison and nearby Guilford.

Where to Retire in Madison and Home Prices

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 (in the heart of the downtown), Windemere, Oxford Fells, Kensington Acres, Strathmore Farms, and many more. Many new residents are retirees from Fairfield County and the New York suburbs.
Zillow reports the Medium Home Value was $609,489 in mid-2022.  Beachfront homes sell for millions and pay very high taxes. Condominiums can vary in price from the $200's to $1MM, depending on which development.

What Is Special about Madison

• 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) •The Madison Beach Hotel has just been rebuilt and provides a nice place on the water for a drink, meal, or weekend stay • New downtown Senior Center has many programs and facilities

What Is Not Special about Madison

• Traffic in the summer • High property values make it expensive to move here  • Limited availability of restaurants in town and few restrooms in coffee houses • Big box shopping can be inconvenient distances • Police department has had numerous public scandals • Properties along the water have very high property taxes.

Climate and Physical Environment

Madison is situated on the Long Island Sound midway between New Haven and Old Saybrook. 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. The average July high is 84. The average January high is 36 and the low is 20. The wettest month is October (5").

Restaurants & Cultural Scene

The E.C. Scranton Memorial Library features many programs.  There are plans to expand the library with many new features with drive-up book-drop. Madison Arts Cinema features first run films. The Madison Sculpture Mile has placed dozens of significant sculptures downtown. Occasional concerts in the First Cong. Church & on the green, especially the 4th of July RJ Julia’s Bookstore has frequent book talks by big name authors. Many interesting art galleries worth a visit. Long Wharf Theatre and the Yale Rep provide first rate plays in New Haven. Shoreline Institute of Lifelong Learning

Crime

Crime in Madison is practically nonexistent - barely 20 percent of the national average.

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)

Transportation

New Haven Airport (15 Miles); Providence Airport (Providence 70 Miles); Bradley Airport (Hartford, 70 miles)

Valuable Links

City of Madison

Madison on Wikipedia
Madison Chamber of Commerce

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