New Haven, CT

[pachydermatus]

6)      Cost of living – really low, especially given our salary.  We make more here than they do in NYC or Boston and it’s much less expensive to live. Don’t underestimate how important this is. If you want to, you could go out every night of the week to eat and drink and you would have no problem getting by on your stipend. Yale subsidizes every aspect of student life so there are tonnes of free drinking and socializing options and we have a catered lunch meeting in the department every day of the week.

 

 

 

 

I have to disagree with you on this. I have lived in New Haven for 8 years. It's expensive, and it's just getting more expensive as we get more and more high rise luxury apartments. Lack of affordable housing is a huge problem in New Haven. So, if you have roommates, yes you could live somewhat comfortably, but forget trying to rent a place on your own. Taxes are also high, and the only grocery store that's within walking distance to downtown is expensive.

 

All that being said, it's a nice little city. And I know people said something about people here being unwelcoming, but that's not really true. Just don't be an ass and people will be nice to you.

[poweredbycoldfusion]

I'm going to agree with pachydermatus on cost of living. This, for me, is a huge drawback of New Haven and Conneticuit in general. I came from an area that was a much larger city and the cost of living was MUCH less than New Haven. Other than that, it's a nice area. There's a little crime (my car got broken into), but I've not felt unsafe walking around downtown or running.

[Erpnope]

I think if your department has legacy apartments it can be very cheap but if you are looking for yourself on craigslist, etc you are only going to find very expensive things unless you get a gem in east rock or something.

 

for example my first year my rent was $775 because I knew no one and so had to find a place on my own, this year I pay $430 because I moved into a 'legacy' apartment. Totally insane and makes no sense. Of course, if you want to live alone, you will pay. 

[Laniel]

Hey everyone,

 

I am going to visit New Haven next month for interviews, and I'm trying to get a feel for the area.  This thread has been really helpful but I still wonder about a few things:

 

1.  How far in advance do you typically need to arrange housing?  I know some college towns start signing leases for September as early as February and March.  Should I be apartment hunting when I interview?

 

2. My husband and I are coming from a very pet friendly area and we have two dogs (one medium/large, one small).  It seems like New Haven in general is not very pet-friendly, especially for larger breeds.  Has anyone else had experience with this?

 

3.  What are the prospects like for out of state teachers moving to New Haven?  My husband would be moving with me and we are really concerned about him finding work.  He has a college degree, and two years of teaching experience (6th -8th grade math), but isn't committed to staying with teaching if the job market for teachers is terrible. 

 

Thanks!

[diasporabound]

Hi Laniel,

Congrats! I'll respond to your questions to my ability, in order. 

 

1. You don't need to look for housing too far in advance unless you want to live downtown. I'm guessing that since you have two dogs and perhaps a car, finding an appropriate place downtown would be difficult, very expensive, and you would definitely have to start early. You probably also wouldn't find much outdoor space. I would recommend looking for things around April May (as soon as you know you're moving here), and perhaps try to get on a wait list if you do find a building that works for you. There are always exceptions to that suggestion, but if you're open to looking beyond downtown, I would try to find an apartment about 2-3 months before you intend to move in. You don't want to cut it too close, but any earlier, and a lot of landlords won't know if their renters will renew. 

 

2. I find New Haven housing (outside of some of the high rise buildings downtown) to be very pet friendly. Almost everyone I know has a pet, although most of these are cats. I think you'll find most success with two large dogs in East Rock- which is nearby, family friendly, "feels like a neighborhood" -as some people say, and you probably know a lot about it based on this thread. Although I don't know anything about the prospects for out of state teachers, I would recommend trying to see the neighborhoods while you're here. New Haven is a small city, so this is definitely doable in about 15-20 minutes in a car and would help you figure out what's best for you. Good luck!

[pachydermatus]

 

3.  What are the prospects like for out of state teachers moving to New Haven?  My husband would be moving with me and we are really concerned about him finding work.  He has a college degree, and two years of teaching experience (6th -8th grade math), but isn't committed to staying with teaching if the job market for teachers is terrible. 

 

Thanks!

 

I wouldn't say the market is terrible, but there is a lot he will have to do before he can start to look for teaching jobs! Your husband will have to get his certification to teach in CT. Also, he must begin his master's degree within two years and finish within six to meet state requirements. There's the option of teaching in private schools, but places like Hopkins can be difficult to get into and parochial schools just don't pay well, as they tend to be struggling financially. Without certification, if he wants to stay in education, he'd have to work as a paraprofessional or a sub until he can get certified. I don't know what state you're coming from, but we do have reciprocity with other states, so I would check the Dept of Education to see if your state is on there.

 

http://www.sde.ct.gov/sde/cwp/view.asp?a=2613&q=321230

That has all of the info he will need! Good luck and congrats. New Haven is a great city, you'll love it!

Edited January 19, 2015 by pachydermatus

[Ragneo]

Just thought I'd bring this up since this is pretty important to me: how LGBT friendly is New Haven/Yale? 

[gradstudent123798yr]

Hey all newcomers to Yale! 

 

My roommate and I (2nd year anthropology PhDs) are looking for a third roommate to share our very spacious and sunny flat with. 

 

Here are the details on craigslist. Email sara.smith@yale.edu for more details and pictures!

 

https://post.craigslist.org/manage/4907717469/s8q28

[gradstudent123798yr]

Hey all newcomers to Yale! 

 

My roommate and I (2nd year anthropology PhDs) are looking for a third roommate to share our very spacious and sunny flat with. 

 

Here are the details on craigslist. Email sara.smith@yale.edu for more details and pictures!

 

https://post.craigslist.org/manage/4907717469/s8q28

[gradstudent123798yr]

Hello, 

 

I will be attending Yale School of Forestry starting this fall and unfortunately I won't be able to visit beforehand. I have just been offered a Yale owned apartment managed by Elm Campus at 25 Broadway. Are any of you guys familiar with the apartment building/area? Is it safe and convenient? I was also looking at the Warner building at 1044 Chapel Street or an off campus apartment in the Madison Towers. What would you think is the best area out of these three apartments or do you recommend looking elsewhere? I am really concerned with the condition Yale housing is in and the bad reputation New Haven has in regards to crime rate.  

Thank you so much for your help!

 

I lived in HGS (Yale Grad Housing) my first year and it was terrible. You pay way too much from your stipend to eat lousy cafeteria food. Not to mention cockroach infestations were not infrequent. 

 

My roomate and I are looking for a 3rd roomate for the fall. here is our craigslist ad, hit me up if you want more details: https://post.craigslist.org/manage/4907717469/s8q28

[CantHardlyWait]

I lived in HGS (Yale Grad Housing) my first year and it was terrible. You pay way too much from your stipend to eat lousy cafeteria food. Not to mention cockroach infestations were not infrequent. 

 

My roomate and I are looking for a 3rd roomate for the fall. here is our craigslist ad, hit me up if you want more details: https://post.craigslist.org/manage/4907717469/s8q28

 

Wow that sounds horrible, thank you for the info! I actually don't qualify for HGS, but I definitely tried and was informed it is only for graduate students of the School of Arts and Sciences.

Do you know of anyone that was living in the Yale owned apartments downtown?

Edited February 26, 2015 by CantHardlyWait

[virmundi]

Just thought I'd bring this up since this is pretty important to me: how LGBT friendly is New Haven/Yale? 

 

Hi Ragneo -- Yale is known (informally) as the "gay Ivy." It has the highest proportion of LGBTQ students of any of the Ivy's, and I have LGBTQ friends and colleagues who are absolutely comfortable here in New Haven.

[Panera]

Hi everyone.  I will be attending Yale Divinity in the fall and have a question about apartments.  I realize that many grad students prefer living in East Rock.  With the proximity to the Divinity school this would seem to make sense for me.  Problem is I enjoy city life.  I am a 21 year old female and the idea of living in a suburb seems dull to me.  Thats where I grew up, but since then I have lived in Edinburgh, Scotland and really love being in a vibrant downtown area.    I really want to live downtown near the blue & red shuttles and when I have classes I will just take the shuttles up.  People keep warning me against this because of the unreliability of the shuttles (during winter) and "wouldn't I rather" walk to class then be on the shuttle all the time".  Anyone advice in terms of a Divinity Student living in say New Haven Towers would be greatly appreciated.  

[twentysix]

I'm going to be living in Morse College for 6 weeks this summer, any things I "MUST" do while I'm at Yale?

 

I will have limited free time, probably 1 weekend day a week and a couple hours each day.

[diasporabound]

Hi everyone.  I will be attending Yale Divinity in the fall and have a question about apartments.  I realize that many grad students prefer living in East Rock.  With the proximity to the Divinity school this would seem to make sense for me.  Problem is I enjoy city life.  I am a 21 year old female and the idea of living in a suburb seems dull to me.  Thats where I grew up, but since then I have lived in Edinburgh, Scotland and really love being in a vibrant downtown area.    I really want to live downtown near the blue & red shuttles and when I have classes I will just take the shuttles up.  People keep warning me against this because of the unreliability of the shuttles (during winter) and "wouldn't I rather" walk to class then be on the shuttle all the time".  Anyone advice in terms of a Divinity Student living in say New Haven Towers would be greatly appreciated.  

 

Hi Panera, 

I have some suggestions that might help. I currently live in the closest "East Rock" section that's still within a long walk downtown. Most of my neighbors are divinity students or science hill students. While the housing here is cheaper, you get more space for your buck, and it's great for cars... it does feel really isolated from downtown, and it almost feels like you're in another town. The downtown area is very urban and gives you nice cityscapes, however you pretty much only get those views from the high rise apartments downtown.

 

I'm in my first year of a PhD program, and was in your very same position last year. I was on some wait lists for apartments downtown (I also like the liveliness and access to things that you get from a city environment), but ultimately I couldn't get off the wait list and now I'm near the Div School. Although the distance from here to downtown isn't far, it's about 2 miles and it makes a HUGE difference if you don't have a car or a bike. It's maybe a 30 minute walk, and in the winter it's too cold and it gets dark fast, so that means you will LIVE on the shuttle if you need to get back and forth during the day or you'll be that person that takes the shuttle downtown in the mornings and carries your stuff all day. It's not awful, but it's not convenient. That has just been my experience. I think I notice it more because I'm not in the div school, so I don't really have a real reason to live here other than to save money and have more space. After one year though, it has been great to save -literally- hundreds of dollars a month by living in East Rock, but it has made me want to live downtown even more. If I get off of a wait list for one of the downtown high rises I might be looking for a roommate (since downtown is more expensive). Let me know if I can help you in any other way. Most of my Div School friends are East Rock neighbors, but I can ask some if they know anyone who lives downtown. My my experience it's easier to go from downtown to other places but not necessarily vice versa.  

[Panera]

Hi Panera, 

I have some suggestions that might help. I currently live in the closest "East Rock" section that's still within a long walk downtown. Most of my neighbors are divinity students or science hill students. While the housing here is cheaper, you get more space for your buck, and it's great for cars... it does feel really isolated from downtown, and it almost feels like you're in another town. The downtown area is very urban and gives you nice cityscapes, however you pretty much only get those views from the high rise apartments downtown.

 

I'm in my first year of a PhD program, and was in your very same position last year. I was on some wait lists for apartments downtown (I also like the liveliness and access to things that you get from a city environment), but ultimately I couldn't get off the wait list and now I'm near the Div School. Although the distance from here to downtown isn't far, it's about 2 miles and it makes a HUGE difference if you don't have a car or a bike. It's maybe a 30 minute walk, and in the winter it's too cold and it gets dark fast, so that means you will LIVE on the shuttle if you need to get back and forth during the day or you'll be that person that takes the shuttle downtown in the mornings and carries your stuff all day. It's not awful, but it's not convenient. That has just been my experience. I think I notice it more because I'm not in the div school, so I don't really have a real reason to live here other than to save money and have more space. After one year though, it has been great to save -literally- hundreds of dollars a month by living in East Rock, but it has made me want to live downtown even more. If I get off of a wait list for one of the downtown high rises I might be looking for a roommate (since downtown is more expensive). Let me know if I can help you in any other way. Most of my Div School friends are East Rock neighbors, but I can ask some if they know anyone who lives downtown. My my experience it's easier to go from downtown to other places but not necessarily vice versa.  

Who knows, maybe we could go in on a high rise apartment downtown together!  

Edited April 21, 2015 by Panera

[pachydermatus]

Hi everyone.  I will be attending Yale Divinity in the fall and have a question about apartments.  I realize that many grad students prefer living in East Rock.  With the proximity to the Divinity school this would seem to make sense for me.  Problem is I enjoy city life.  I am a 21 year old female and the idea of living in a suburb seems dull to me.  Thats where I grew up, but since then I have lived in Edinburgh, Scotland and really love being in a vibrant downtown area.    I really want to live downtown near the blue & red shuttles and when I have classes I will just take the shuttles up.  People keep warning me against this because of the unreliability of the shuttles (during winter) and "wouldn't I rather" walk to class then be on the shuttle all the time".  Anyone advice in terms of a Divinity Student living in say New Haven Towers would be greatly appreciated.  

 

East Rock is by no means the suburbs. It's a residential neighborhood. There are tons of shuttles that run through that neighborhood, since it's informally known as the "Grad Ghetto".

[Bombaygunner]

I'm a GSAS student looking at a dorm (don't want to spend money on furnishings for an apartment) which isn't too far from campus. Currently it seems that the two Prospect places are the best bet. HGS would have been good but for the mandatory meal plan. $2,400 for 150 meals comes to $16 a meal which seems massive for a student to be paying. At uni in England I did my grocery shopping at a supermarket for roughly $80 a week and cooked most of my food myself. I've heard American unis don't really have a "cooking culture" (compared to Europe anyway) but is it possible to buy decent ingredients in supermarkets around Yale and make your own food? 

[exponto]

Does anyone have any info/advice about the Off Broadway studio units on 100 Dwight Street?

[twentysix]

So I've leased an apartment for the summer on Dwight and Chapel. How safe is the immediately surrounding neighborhood? I've heard nasty things about that side of Yale.

 

I will primarily be walking toward Yale from the apt, and I will have a car that is parked at the apt.

 

Will the car be vandalized? Am I likely to be harassed/robbed walking home at night? Do I have nothing to worry about?

[twentysix]

So I've leased an apartment for the summer on Dwight and Chapel. How safe is the immediately surrounding neighborhood? I've heard nasty things about that side of Yale.

 

I will primarily be walking toward Yale from the apt, and I will have a car that is parked at the apt.

 

Will the car be vandalized? Am I likely to be harassed/robbed walking home at night? Do I have nothing to worry about?

**Crickets**

[AbrasaxEos]

I don't think you should have too much trouble.  A bit further west from there and things are less decent, but going back and forth shouldn't be too much trouble, though if you were doing it late at night, I might consider not carrying large sums of cash, or other valuables on you.

 

With this said, New Haven is an odd city, it is very compressed, and muggings, car thefts, etc. happen anywhere and everywhere, as well as at any time of day.  When I was at Yale I had friends who were mugged at 1AM and 1PM, on secluded side streets and on main drags.  My car was broken into three times in four years, even though there was really nothing of value in there.  This shouldn't be cause for constant alarm or worry, just vigilance, some common sense, and a general attitude of "even if it does happen, I will probably be alive and ok, if a bit rattled."  If you are walking home later at night, try to find a friend or two in your general area to walk with.  Yale even has a nightime ride/walk escort that I think you should be able to use if you were really worried.  Don't stumble home half in the bag with $500 in your wallet, your laptop in your backpack, and your iPhone 6 held out in front of you.  Don't leave a gps, or gps mount obviously visible in your car, or a bag/backpack that might look like it possibly contains other valuables sitting on the seat (i.e. camera case, briefcase, etc.).  This is just basic city stuff, not New Haven-specific though.

[twentysix]

Thanks for the advice. I don't expect to be robbed during the day unless it's at gun point. I'm a pretty big upper-Midwest guy (6'3 250, we are huge Norse people ).

Edited May 22, 2015 by twentysix

[aparticularkindofheaven]

Hello, I have a few questions regarding apartments in New Haven.

 

Although everyone says that East Rock is a great location, it seems like you'll need a car to get home after late night classes.

I'm an art major and will be spending late nights at the studio. What would be a good safe alternative a walking distance from the School of Art?

 

I'll be flying in to New Haven for a week in July in hopes to find an apartment, do you think one week is enough time to find a place

and do you have recommendation regarding which realtor I should use? What is the best way to find an apartment in New Haven, craigslist, realtor, university listings?

 

Thank you for your input!

[backslash]

East Rock is a little ways away - many people bike to school - but after 6pm there is a shuttle from the law school that will take you to your door for free, which comes in handy. Wooster Square is a shorter walk (but still a ways), and the downtown area is close, if you're looking for a shorter commute.

 

On 4/23/2015 at 7:46 AM, Bombaygunner said:

is it possible to buy decent ingredients in supermarkets around Yale and make your own food? 

 

Absolutely. Not far from campus, you'll find Elm City Co-op, which is a good, but sometimes pricey grocery store (kind of like Whole Foods). There are also several farmers markets throughout the city, almost one a day depending on where you are. The cheapest place to shop will be the Stop and Shop, although you'll probably want a bus or car, depending on where you are staying. I lived just off campus, and I mostly cooked at home while I was there. The meal plans are an absurd amount of money.