Living in New Milford, CT

Litchfield County

New Milford is the real largest town in Connecticut by land area (nearly 64 square miles), a Litchfield County town centered on a genuine historic town green in the Housatonic River valley, approximately 90 miles northeast of Manhattan. The real, full town population ran 28,112 at the 2020 Census -- this record explicitly discloses a genuine CDP-vs-town distinction, since a much smaller '~7,888' figure some sources cite actually describes only the 'New Milford CDP' geography. New Milford's economy centers on Kimberly-Clark's real, in-town manufacturing plant (the town's largest named employer) alongside a genuine retail and tourism sector anchored by its walkable historic downtown. Housing runs genuinely below Connecticut's statewide median, though 2026 figures showed a real, disclosed sharp appreciation (Redfin's median sale price up 27.1% year-over-year). New Milford's real, current FY2026-27 mill rate fell dramatically to 23.68 (from 30.96), driven by a genuine ~30% grand-list revaluation increase, alongside a real, newly-enacted Homestead Tax Exemption Act this record discloses with an honest, unresolved ambiguity against Connecticut's separate general homestead statute. New Milford's real 65-and-older population share (15.56%-16.2%) runs genuinely below this project's ~18% Tier B retiring-relevance threshold.

Explore New Milford in depth

Exploring the idea of moving?

We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.

Learn more

Housing

Median sale price$392,287

Taxes

Local effective property tax rate1.66%

Not independently sourced at the Litchfield County level this session. Connecticut's top state income tax rate is 6.99%. See the Connecticut hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as New Milford-specific.

Want to know what your budget actually buys here?

Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.

Get local guidance

The tradeoffs

Pros

Genuinely affordable housing below Connecticut's statewide median; a dramatic, real FY2026-27 mill-rate drop (30.96 to 23.68) plus a new homestead tax exemption; a real, named major employer (Kimberly-Clark); an above-average school district; and near-national-average crime with violent crime well below the national rate.

Cons

A real, disclosed sharp 2026 home-price appreciation (Redfin +27.1% YoY) that could signal a fast-moving, less predictable market; a genuine, unresolved ambiguity around the precise homestead-exemption mechanism this record discloses rather than guesses at; Connecticut's real, statewide high income tax (6.99% top rate); and real riverine flood considerations for properties near the Housatonic River.

Who this fits

Best for: Best fits affordability-focused movers and small-town-living buyers drawn to Connecticut's largest town by land area, a genuine historic-New-England-town-green identity, and a real, dramatic 2026 property-tax relief story.

Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for buyers wanting price stability over rapid appreciation, given New Milford's real, disclosed sharp 2026 price swing, or for anyone who wants full certainty on the town's new homestead-exemption mechanics before this record's disclosed ambiguity is resolved directly with the Assessor's Office.

Planning a move?

Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.

Talk to a local expert
Last reviewed: 2026-08-27. Independent research; see individual metric entries above for source attribution. This is not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.