Living in Stamford, CT
Stamford is a Fairfield County city on Long Island Sound, bordering Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan, with a downtown, a harbor district, 23 public schools and three Metro-North stations.
Stamford at a glance
- Median sale price
- $729,000+1.3% vs last year 1150 sales, last 12 months
- Property tax rate
- 28.47 mills town-wide, FY2027
- Estimated yearly tax
- ~$14,500 median-priced home
- Population
- 139,134 2024 Census estimate
- Land area
- 37.6 sq mi 3,697 per sq mi
What it is like in Stamford
Stamford is in Fairfield County on Long Island Sound and covers 37.63 square miles, with a population of 139,134. It borders Greenwich, Darien and New Canaan, and Pound Ridge, New York lies to the north.
The deed to the area was signed on July 1, 1640, and it was settled as a town in 1641. Stamford was incorporated as a city in 1893, and the city and town were consolidated in 1949. The city has about 45 neighborhoods and villages, and North Stamford, north of the Merritt Parkway, is the largest section.
Downtown holds the Palace Theatre, the Avon Theatre Film Center and Stamford Town Center. South of downtown, the Harbor Point redevelopment has a boardwalk, restaurants and waterfront bars. Several Fortune 500 companies have headquarters in the city.
Outdoor places include Cove Island Park, West Beach Park, Mill River Park and Dorothy Heroy Park. Mill River Park has a carousel, an ice rink, a fountain and walking paths. The Stamford Museum & Nature Center has trails, an astronomy center with a planetarium and a working farm, and it also runs events through the year.
Bedford Street downtown has restaurants such as Mecha Noodle Bar, Lorca and Capriccio Cafe. Harbor Point has Sign of the Whale, and the Beer Garden at Shippan Landing operates seasonally on the water. Sterling Farms Golf Club and the E. Gaynor Brennan Golf Course are golf courses in town. The Palace Theatre hosts live performances, and the Avon shows independent films.
Getting around from Stamford
| Drive to | Time | Miles |
|---|---|---|
| Hartford | 100 min | 73 |
| New Haven | 60 min | 40 |
| Stamford | 7 min | 2 |
| New York City (Midtown) | 62 min | 38 |
| Boston | 219 min | 173 |
| Providence | 183 min | 144 |
| Bradley Airport (BDL) | 122 min | 90 |
Rail stations nearby
- Glenbrook 1.5 mi Metro-North
- Springdale 1.6 mi Metro-North
- Stamford 2.3 mi Metro-North, CTrail Hartford Line, Amtrak
Highways and routes
Interstate 95 and the Merritt Parkway both cross Stamford. Drive times from Stamford are 62 minutes (38 miles) to Midtown New York City, 60 minutes (40 miles) to New Haven, and 100 minutes (73 miles) to Hartford. Bradley Airport is 122 minutes (90 miles) away.
Stamford station has Metro-North, CTrail Hartford Line and Amtrak service. Glenbrook and Springdale stations have Metro-North service.
Schools in Stamford
23 public schools in Stamford School District, Stamford Charter School for Excellence District and Connecticut Technical Education and Career System. Which one serves an address depends on the district, so confirm with them.
Elementary 14
- Davenport Ridge
- Hart
- Julia A. Stark
- K. T. Murphy
- Newfield
- Northeast
- Rogers International
- Roxbury
Show 6 more
- Springdale
- Stamford Charter School for Excellence
- Stillmeadow
- Strawberry Hill an ext. of Rogers International
- Toquam Magnet
- Westover
Middle 5
- Cloonan
- Dolan
- Rippowam
- Scofield
- Turn of River
High school 4
- J. M. Wright Technical High School
- Stamford High School
- The Academy of Information Technology & Engineering
- Westhill High School
Grades, number of students. Hover a school for its address.
For report cards, enrollment trends and spending per student, look up Stamford School District, Stamford Charter School for Excellence District and Connecticut Technical Education and Career System 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 Stamford
Open Stamford in Google Maps →Eat and drink 14
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Italian restaurant with a cafe on Shippan Avenue.
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Italian cafe on Bedford Street with outdoor seating.
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Pizzeria on High Ridge Road serving pizza, beer and cocktails.
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Diner on Elm Street serving a general American menu.
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Restaurant serving modern Australian food, on Summer Street.
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Stamford branch of the New Haven style pizzeria, in the Bull's Head Shopping Center, opened June 2024.
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Ice cream shop on High Ridge Road with a large open parlor.
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Craft brewery taproom at the original Stamford brewing site, pouring its own beers.
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Coffee bar in a Spanish style, serving coffee, churros and baked goods.
Show 5 more
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Noodle restaurant on Bedford Street serving ramen and other Asian noodle dishes.
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Casual eatery serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with takeout, delivery and catering.
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Waterfront restaurant at Harbor Point with a rooftop terrace and winter igloo seating.
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Seasonal outdoor beer garden on the waterfront with local craft beer, food trucks and live music.
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Italian restaurant and bar on Mill River Street.
Things to do and see 5
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Nonprofit cinema showing independent and art films on Bedford Street.
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Indoor entertainment venue with go-karts, arcade, laser tag, VR gaming and bowling.
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Museum in the Bendel Mansion with a planetarium, working farm, nature trails and animal exhibits.
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Downtown indoor shopping mall with stores and a restaurant plaza.
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Performing arts theater that opened in 1927 as a vaudeville house, run by the Stamford Center for the Arts.
Parks, preserves and trails 69
Show 55 more parks and conservation parcels
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.
Stamford housing market
Over the last 12 months, 1150 homes sold in Stamford with a median sale price of $729,000 and a median of 21 days on market. There are 235 homes for sale right now.
Homes sold for a median of $394 per square foot. The typical home sold for 102% of its list price, and the median sale price is up 1.3% from the year before. At the current pace of sales, the homes for sale would last about 2.5 months.
Stamford's town-wide property tax rate is 28.47 mills (FY2027). Connecticut assesses homes at 70% of market value, so a median-priced home pays roughly $14,500 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 Stamford
See all 235 →
Know before you move
Official and independent sources worth bookmarking if you are considering Stamford.
Questions about Stamford
What is the median home price in Stamford, CT?
The median sale price in Stamford is $729,000, based on 1150 home sales in the last 12 months (SmartMLS). Updated November 10, 2026.
What is the property tax rate in Stamford, CT?
Stamford's town-wide property tax rate is 28.47 mills (fiscal year 2027). Connecticut assesses homes at 70% of market value, so a median-priced home pays roughly $14,500 a year. Special taxing districts can add to this.
How far is Stamford, CT from Hartford?
Stamford is about 73 miles and a 100-minute drive from downtown Hartford, measured from the town center without traffic.
How far is Stamford, CT from New York City?
Stamford is about 38 miles from Midtown Manhattan, roughly a 62-minute drive without traffic.
Is there a train station in Stamford, CT?
The closest passenger rail station we have on record is Glenbrook (Metro-North) about 1.5 miles from the center of Stamford. Check the operator's schedule for current service.
What is the population of Stamford, CT?
Stamford has about 139,134 residents (U.S. Census Bureau estimate, 2024) and covers 37.6 square miles.
How many public schools are in Stamford, CT?
Stamford has 23 public schools in Stamford School District, Stamford Charter School for Excellence District and Connecticut Technical Education and Career System. Which school serves an address depends on the district's boundaries, so confirm with the district.
How many homes are for sale in Stamford, CT?
There are 235 homes for sale in Stamford right now, per SmartMLS, as of November 10, 2026.
How far is Stamford from New York City?
The drive to Midtown Manhattan is 38 miles and about 62 minutes. Stamford station also has Metro-North service.
Which rail stations serve Stamford?
Stamford (Metro-North, CTrail Hartford Line and Amtrak), Glenbrook (Metro-North) and Springdale (Metro-North).
What parks and outdoor places are there?
Cove Island Park, West Beach Park, Mill River Park, Dorothy Heroy Park, Scalzi Park, Rotary Park and the grounds of the Stamford Museum & Nature Center.
Which towns border Stamford?
Darien, Greenwich and New Canaan.
Where can I see live performances or films downtown?
The Palace Theatre at 61 Atlantic Street hosts live shows, and the Avon Theatre Film Center at 272 Bedford Street shows independent films.
Thinking about Stamford?
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Towns that border Stamford
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