Living in Colchester, CT

Colchester is a New London County town of 48.94 square miles with a downtown on Main Street and the Green, Day Pond State Park, the Air Line State Park Trail, a winery and a cheese farm.

Colchester at a glance

Median sale price
$480,000+14.3% vs last year
185 sales, last 12 months
Property tax rate
29.92 mills
town-wide, FY2027
Estimated yearly tax
~$10,100
median-priced home
Population
15,752
2024 Census estimate
Land area
48.9 sq mi
322 per sq mi

What it is like in Colchester

Colchester covers 48.94 square miles in New London County and had 15,752 residents in the facts file. It borders East Haddam, Salem, Hebron, Lebanon, Marlborough, East Hampton and Bozrah.

Downtown centers on Main Street and the Colchester Green, with Norwich Avenue and Linwood Avenue running from it. The Colchester Historical Society museum is at 24 Linwood Avenue.

Farms and food producers in town include Cato Corner Farm, which makes cheese, and Priam Vineyards on Shailor Hill Road.

Day Pond State Park, a 180-acre park established in 1949, has a pond for swimming and fishing, trails and the remains of a sawmill dam. The Air Line State Park Trail passes through town. Other places are Pickerel Lake, the Colchester Recreation Complex, Schuster Park, Whispering Woods Preserve and Gateway Preserve.

The Inishmor Pub on Main Street and Mel's Downtown Creamery on Norwich Avenue are near the Green. Cato Corner Farm's shop is open Friday to Sunday, and Priam Vineyards has a tasting room.

Getting around from Colchester

Boston: 140 min, 114 miles Boston 140 min Bradley Airport: 58 min, 40 miles Bradley Airport 58 min Providence: 80 min, 64 miles Providence 80 min Hartford: 37 min, 27 miles Hartford 37 min New Haven: 71 min, 46 miles New Haven 71 min Stamford: 124 min, 84 miles Stamford 124 min New York: 177 min, 119 miles New York 177 min
Drive time from Colchester, no traffic
Drive times from Colchester
Drive toTimeMiles
Hartford37 min27
New Haven71 min46
Stamford124 min84
New York City (Midtown)177 min119
Boston140 min114
Providence80 min64
Bradley Airport (BDL)58 min40

Rail

No passenger rail station within 8 miles.

Highways and routes

From the facts file, Hartford is 27 miles (37 minutes) by road, Providence 64 miles (80 minutes), New Haven 46 miles (71 minutes) and Boston 114 miles (140 minutes). Bradley Airport is 40 miles (58 minutes) away and Midtown Manhattan 119 miles (177 minutes).

The facts file lists no rail station near Colchester.

Schools in Colchester

4 public schools in Colchester School District. Which one serves an address depends on the district, so confirm with them.

Elementary 2

  • Colchester PK–2 · 606
  • Jack Jackter Intermediate 3–5 · 462

Middle 1

  • William J. Johnston 6–8 · 470

High school 1

  • Bacon Academy 9–12 · 604

Grades, number of students. Hover a school for its address.

For report cards, enrollment trends and spending per student, look up Colchester School District on the state's EdSight site.

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Common Core of Data. We do not rate or rank schools.

Eat, drink and explore in Colchester

Open Colchester in Google Maps →

Eat and drink 6

  • Pizza restaurant serving pizzas, calzones, grinders and Italian dinners such as lasagna and chicken parmigiana.

  • Tavern menu of pizzas, wings, stromboli, burgers, grinders and pasta entrees, plus catering.

  • Seasonal open-air stand on Route 85 serving burgers and hot dogs from March through October.

  • Ice cream shop in a former bank building beside the Colchester Green, with indoor seating.

  • Barbecue restaurant, food truck and caterer with a Saturday brunch, closed Sunday and Monday.

  • Irish pub in downtown Colchester serving pub fare such as burgers and lobster rolls.

Things to do and see 2

  • Farm that makes raw milk cheeses and runs a farm shop open Friday to Sunday.

  • Winery founded in 1998 on a 40-acre farm, with a tasting room and a solar-powered winery.

Parks and open space © OpenStreetMap contributors. Places to eat and visit last checked October 2026. These are not paid placements; they are simply our selection. Hours and menus change, so check before you go.

Colchester housing market

Over the last 12 months, 185 homes sold in Colchester with a median sale price of $480,000 and a median of 7 days on market. There are 22 homes for sale right now.

Homes sold for a median of $243 per square foot. The typical home sold for 102% of its list price, and the median sale price is up 14.3% from the year before. At the current pace of sales, the homes for sale would last about 1.4 months.

Colchester's town-wide property tax rate is 29.92 mills (FY2027). Connecticut assesses homes at 70% of market value, so a median-priced home pays roughly $10,100 a year. Special taxing districts, such as fire districts, can add to this, and a home's actual assessment may differ from its sale price.

Source: SmartMLS, residential sales (single-family, condo and multi-family); mill rates: Connecticut Office of Policy and Management. Updated November 10, 2026.

Homes for sale in Colchester

See all 22 →

Questions about Colchester

What is the median home price in Colchester, CT?

The median sale price in Colchester is $480,000, based on 185 home sales in the last 12 months (SmartMLS). Updated November 10, 2026.

What is the property tax rate in Colchester, CT?

Colchester's town-wide property tax rate is 29.92 mills (fiscal year 2027). Connecticut assesses homes at 70% of market value, so a median-priced home pays roughly $10,100 a year. Special taxing districts can add to this.

How far is Colchester, CT from Hartford?

Colchester is about 27 miles and a 37-minute drive from downtown Hartford, measured from the town center without traffic.

How far is Colchester, CT from New York City?

Colchester is about 119 miles from Midtown Manhattan, roughly a 177-minute drive without traffic.

What is the population of Colchester, CT?

Colchester has about 15,752 residents (U.S. Census Bureau estimate, 2024) and covers 48.9 square miles.

How many public schools are in Colchester, CT?

Colchester has 4 public schools in Colchester School District. Which school serves an address depends on the district's boundaries, so confirm with the district.

How many homes are for sale in Colchester, CT?

There are 22 homes for sale in Colchester right now, per SmartMLS, as of November 10, 2026.

How far is Colchester from Hartford?

Hartford is 27 miles and about 37 minutes by road. Bradley Airport is 40 miles and 58 minutes.

What state parks are in Colchester?

Day Pond State Park is in town, and the Air Line State Park Trail passes through it.

Is there a winery in Colchester?

Yes. Priam Vineyards at 11 Shailor Hill Road was founded in 1998 and has a tasting room.

Where is the Colchester Historical Society museum?

At 24 Linwood Avenue. Its hours are seasonal, so check colchesterhistory.org or call 860-537-4230.

Which towns border Colchester?

East Haddam, Salem, Hebron, Lebanon, Marlborough, East Hampton and Bozrah.

Thinking about Colchester?

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Towns that border Colchester

Compare prices and taxes before you decide where to look.

East Haddam 6.1 mi away

Median price $465,000 · 28.67 mills

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Salem 6.5 mi away

Median price $477,500 · 30.20 mills

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Hebron 7.4 mi away

Median price $520,500 · 36.96 mills

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Lebanon 7.5 mi away

Median price $387,000 · 22.50 mills

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Marlborough 7.7 mi away

Median price $430,000 · 27.10 mills

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East Hampton 8.6 mi away

Median price $437,750 · 27.79 mills

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Bozrah 8.8 mi away

Median price $405,000 · 24.00 mills

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