Connecticut is home to some of the most expensive waterfront homes in America. These affluent beach towns have multi-million dollar homes with stunning water views, representing some of the most expensive real estate in Connecticut.
Almost all of these upscale beach towns are located along the renowned Gold Coast of Connecticut with a few found in New London and New Haven areas.
These towns are home to some of the wealthiest residents in the state, and they offer a luxurious lifestyle that is hard to find elsewhere.
Here are the richest beach towns in Connecticut.
The rankings are based on both income and home prices.
Note: We realize we are using the term “town” loosely since some of these towns are actually communities or neighborhoods.
Richest Beach Towns in Connecticut
1. Darien
Darien is the richest beach town in Connecticut with a median home value of $1,656,964, and a mean income of $424,355.
Waterfront homes in Darien command prices in the multi-million dollar range, with the Tokeneke section standing out for having the highest median home price, reaching an impressive $10.03 million!
Darien is definitely one of the most expensive places to buy a beach house in Connecticut.
Located in Fairfield County, Darien is a coastal Connecticut town with a population of 21,499, with 32% of the population being children under 18 years old and 13.3% being seniors.
One of the most popular beaches in Darien is Weed Beach. This beach is known for its beautiful views and family-friendly atmosphere.
| Darien, CT | |
|---|---|
| Mean Income | $424,355 |
| Median Home Value | $1,656,964 |
2. Riverside
Riverside is the second richest beach town in Connecticut with a median home value of $1,220,093, and a mean income is $356,791.
Riverside isn’t an independent town; rather, it’s a neighborhood within the Town of Greenwich with its own zip code, 06878, which is one of the richest zip codes on Connecticut’s renowned Gold Coast.
In Riverside, you’ll find the charm of white picket fences, and multi-million dollar homes, including luxurious waterfront homes with private docks.
The affluent beach town has a population of 8,843.
Many families live in Riverside with 32.1% of the population being children under 18 years old while only 12.8% are seniors.
81.5% of the homes are owner-occupied. The average rent in Riverside is $2,400.
| Riverside, CT | |
|---|---|
| Mean Income | $356,791 |
| Median Home Value | $1,220,093 |
3. Old Greenwich
Old Greenwich is one of the richest beach towns in Connecticut with a median home value of $1,928,271, and a mean income of $348,146.
Located in Fairfield County, Old Greenwich is a charming coastal town with a quaint downtown and home to Greenwich’s largest beach, Greenwich Point Park.
It’s the kind of place where you can walk or bike to a neighbor’s house, walk to the shops along Sound Beach Avenue or walk to the train station.
However, don’t let the laid-back beach town vibe fool you, Old Greenwich has one of the richest zip codes in Connecticut with multi-million dollar homes and some of the priciest waterfront homes in the Greenwich area.
Old Greenwich has a population of 6,962 with 36.3% of the population is children under 18 years old while only 14.1% of the population being seniors.
Most people in Old Greenwich own their homes with 80.1% of the homes being owner-occupied. The average rent in Old Greenwich is $2,091.
| Old Greenwich, CT | |
|---|---|
| Mean Income | $348,146 |
| Median Home Value | $1,928,271 |
4. Westport, CT
Westport is another affluent beach town in Fairfield County. The median home value in Westport is $1,802,918, and the mean income is $346,206.
Westport is home to some of the most expensive real estate in Connecticut’s Gold Coast. Notably, the Compo section of Westport has a median home price of $2,622,462, while Greens Farms follows closely with a median home price of $2,421,750. Westport is one of the most expensive places in Connecticut to buy a waterfront house!
The population of Westport is 27,141, with 27.4% of the population being children under 18 years old and 16.9% being seniors.
Most Westport residents are homeowners with 88% of homes in Westport being owner-occupied. The average rent in Westport is $1,999.00.
| Westport, CT | |
|---|---|
| Mean Income | $346,206 |
| Median Home Value | $1,802,918 |
5. Greenwich, CT
Greenwich is one of the wealthiest beach towns in Connecticut. The median home value in Greenwich is $1,710,154, and the mean income is $314,450.
Greenwich is home to some of the most expensive waterfront homes in Connecticut. It’s where waterfront homes are typically sold for $5,000,000 at the low end. Scoring a waterfront home under $4,000,000 in Greenwich is a bargain!
Aside from beautiful waterfront homes, Greenwich residents have some of the best beaches in Connecticut. Greenwich Point Beach (locals call it Tod’s Point) is a beautiful sandy beach with a yacht club and a nature center. Greenwich is also home to Byram Beach and 2 private islands.
67.10% of homes in Greenwich are owner-occupied, and the average rent is $2,122.00.
The population of Greenwich is 63,518, with 26.4% of the population being children under 18 years old and 16.8% being seniors.
| Greenwich, CT | |
|---|---|
| Mean Income | $314,450 |
| Median Home Value | $1,710,154 |
6. Southport
Southport is a small affluent beach town in Connecticut with a median home value of $1,108,500, and a mean income of $228,253.
A wealthy neighborhood within the Town of Fairfield, Southport has a population of 1,797 where 17.3% of residents are children under 18 years old. 25.2% of Southport residents are seniors.
Southport is a charming New England coastal town with multi-million dollar waterfront homes along Southport Harbor and Long Island Sound.
Most residents in Southport own their homes with 84.6% of the homes being owner-occupied. The average rent in Southport is $2,481.
| Southport, CT | |
|---|---|
| Mean Income | $228,253 |
| Median Home Value | $1,108,500 |
7. Cos Cob
Cos Cob is a wealthy coastal town in lower Fairfield County. The median home value in Cos Cob is $1,319,067, and the mean income is $224,230.
Part of the Town of Greenwich, Cos Cob has its own zip code and its own train station.
Compared to other parts of Greenwich, the waterfront homes in Cos Cob are more “affordable.” You can get waterfront townhomes along Cos Cob Harbor for under $1 million!
The population of Cos Cob is 6,873, and 28.5% of the population is children under 18 years old. 14.7% of Cos Cob residents are seniors, and 67.9% of the homes are owner-occupied. The average rent in Cos Cob is $2,012.
| Cos Cob, CT | |
|---|---|
| Mean Income | $224,230 |
| Median Home Value | $1,319,067 |
8. Groton Long Point
Groton Long Point is the richest beach town in New London County with a mean income of $213,039 and a median home price of $1,191,472.
Groton Long Point is an affluent coastal Connecticut town with million-dollar waterfront homes where residents have exclusive access to the private Groton Long Point Beach.
The population of Groton Long Point is 530 where almost half, 41.1%, of the population are senior citizens while only 12.0% of the population are children under 18 years old.
Most residents at Groton Long Point own their homes with 82.6% of the homes being owner-occupied. The average rent in Groton Long Point is $2,114.
| Groton Long Point, CT | |
|---|---|
| Mean Income | $213,039 |
| Median Home Value | $1,191,472 |
9. Madison
Madison is the richest beach town in New Haven County with a median home value in Madison is $1,112,856, and a mean income is $185,594.
Home to Hammonasset Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in Connecticut known for its sandy beach and breathtaking views.
The waterfront homes in Madison are charming New England style homes with exclusive access to private beaches.
The population of Madison is 17,691, with 19.1% of the population being children under 18 years old and 23.3% being seniors.
Most Madison residents are homeowners with 89.9% of homes in Madison being owner-occupied. The average rent at Madison is $1,617.00.
| Madison, CT | |
|---|---|
| Mean Income | $185,594 |
| Median Home Value | $1,112,856 |