A reader writes: “Since returning to Westport 5 years ago, I have heard people say ‘New Yorkers ruined this town.’
“Having lived in several other places, I know for sure that this is not a ‘ruined’ town! But I wonder: Is there any data on the makeup of Westport? How many people have lived here 20+ years? Where are new residents coming from? Is Westport really ‘overrun’ with New Yorkers?”
Good questions, all. For answers, I turned to our friends at KMS Team at Compass.
Their data for the last 5 years shows that a clear majority — 58% — come from … Connecticut.
And some — perhaps even many — of those moves involve residents already living in Westport. For reasons ranging from a need for more space (or less) to a desire to experience a different part of town, they sell and buy properties only a couple of miles away.
It’s true that New York is the most popular outside feeder state for Westport. But KMS agents say that many of those buyers are returning home. They grew up in Fairfield County — some even in Westport — and then moved to New York as they began careers and families.
Longevity is also challenging to measure. But using the SmartMLS Tax System, KMS says: “Because we know people continually move within the town, it is safe to say that 20% of Westporters have lived here over 25 years, and 50% have been here at least 10 years.
“Although nearly a quarter of our housing stock changed hands in the last 5 years, a mere 6.4% of the buyers (646) were from New York.”
The chart above also provides interesting school district data. While KMS notes that many clients have an affinity for one elementary school, the staying power within each district is essentially the same.
Median sales prices within the districts, however, have changed dramatically:
Home selling prices are influenced by the quality and availability of homes for sale. This data is obtained from the SmartMLS. KMS says that private sales are not reflected in these numbers. Off-market transactions have become increasingly popular since the onset of COVID, and persist as clients value their right to privacy and discretion.
New home construction and custom builds (which are also often off-market transactions) are also a factor.
As the market remains tight, buyers are pleased to close sales.
Wherever they come from.
(“06880” reports regularly on real estate news and trends. If you enjoy our coverage — or any other features of your hyper-local blog — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)
Just sayin’. I”ve been told that “New Yorkers have ruined this town” is dog whistle for Jews have ruined this town…wonder if that’s really the implication. And I heard it first 54 yrs ago from a then prominent Compo Parkway resident when I stood up to speak at a meeting.
that I’ve been told is outrageous ignorance
Don’t do this, it’s not 1950.
During COVID, NYC’ers fled the city and rocketed the real estate prices. And with those prices come expectations and attitudes, independent of religious affiliation.
They’ll do it. Why? Because life in Westport is so boring unless you have an axe to grind.
I don’t understand your comment. People from the city prioritized space and access to nature, above all else. Yea Wepo is crazy boring vs NYC, but when everything was shut down, NYC was a mess.
I spent plenty time in nyc ! It’s a dump !
I never liked it.. maybe I tolerated it in my twenties. Because I had to.
Era of Webster hall and limelight. Sure that was fun.
Other than those, New York was not fun but a congested cluster of tourists, nobody wanted. . awful.
Westport boring vs nyc.. absolutely not.
There’s a reason for the mass exodus out of nyc to WEPO. Smog, grease, prices, schools, crime, traffic… better food !
NYC full of greasy spoons.
I think the standard of food is 100% better in WEPO than in nyc.
Yea, NYC is way more fun when you can afford it.
The expanded population is the problem. You basically have the same road structure that was in place a 100 plus years ago. My grandfather delivered milk with a horse and a buckboard wagon on the same streets where Teslas drive now.
Maybe from 100 years ago, but if you look at the actual numbers, the population is almost unchanged since 1970.
Maybe the houses are bigger, and there’s clearly a rise in multi family structures, but from 27,318 to 27,141 over 50 years (data as of the 2020 census) I’d say is pretty stable.
I generally agree with you. There are, however, a couple of additional relevant factors:
1. Conversion of formerly open spaces to office complexes and headquarters (Nyala, to name but one).
2. The town has become a destination for shoppers and people looking to eat, drink and party, then go home (beyond Westport). Prior to the 70’s – 80’s the clientele was mostly locals. I remember when “serious” retail shopping was done in NYC, Bridgeport or Norwalk. Later it was Trumbull Shopping Park or Stamford Town Center. Remember Westport Bank & Trust’s slogan: “A hometown bank in a town of homes”?
I’ll give you the office conversation thing, but to be honest, both Norwalk and Fairfield have way more fun and interesting dining options, so they’re not coming to Wepo for some culinary experience.
Got it. I moved away in ‘78 everything I know comes from this blog.
There’s not a single restaurant in Norwalk or Fairfield worth driving to when you consider Westports.
Not even one.
But please feel free to suggest.
Too easy;
– Mykonos, Norwalk
– Martel’s, Fairfield
– Gray Goose, Fairfield
– Little Goose, Fairfield
– Oishi, Norwalk
– Tavern at Gray Barns, Norwalk
Indeed. After Le Chambord, Ships, Peppermill and the Chinese place at what is now known as Sconset Square that used to assemble moo shu pork with chopsticks disappeared, Westport dining declined precipitously.
Still a few enjoyable restaurants but have to agree that Fairfield’s restaurants make it not worth bothering to go to Westport except for maybe Little Kitchen and Finalmente. I recall the Gray Goose used to be related to the Spotted Horse but I’d take the Goose hands down over the Horse.
Head to https://fairfieldtheatre.org/ for a concert, or their downtown movie theater https://www.shucommunitytheatre.org/ and then walk to more than 20 restaurants.
Also, it’s the only town in CT where the train station, downtown, and the beach are all within a mile.
I won’t even bother trying to convince you how cool Norwalk is, IYKYK
And Norwalk now has Wegmans! Downtown Fairfield is much nicer than Westport’s downtown.
The 1950 census recorded the population of Westport, CT, as 11,667. The 1960 census recorded the population of Westport, CT, as 20,955. Why the big increase? The town exploded when the Connecticut Turnpike was built. I remember having double session school days. I went to school from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.Burr Farms School had to be built.
In 1970 fewer people drove. Maybe that is the difference but one way or another we cannot live with GRIDLOCK, and until that can be solved there is no room for developments that make it far far far worse..
I wonder how many people have moved from weston to westport or Fairfield or Norwalk or Wilton to westport, as I have found a tremendous amount of people have done this to be either closer to the water or for the school system or just to be closer to downtown! I also have found a bunch of people who wanted to downsize from a house on multiple acres to a condo from weston and Easton where they don’t have condos. They are all interesting questions. We moved from Weston to be closer to the water, which we love, over 12 years ago and before that we were in Stamford where my husband grew up! One of my kids moved from NYC to Fairfield and then back to Weston when they started having children of their own. They would have moved to Westport, but the prices were too high for what they were looking for. They have met many people in similar circumstances close to their age, starting families, who moved from NYC, but actually grew up in Fairfield County towns. The major problem everyone complains about is the traffic in Westport and how many people drive or park in town that seems to be inconsiderate of others in addition to being too many cars.
Dan, a change from $1.8MM to $2.4MM is a 35% increase, not a 135% increase.
As new residents move in, things change. Embrace change and you will be forever grateful!
Correct. That table has been changed. Thank you!
I remember Westport before 1958, before The Connecticut Turnpike ( now I-95) was built! You can’t imagine what a fabulous small town we were. We never locked our doors at night and playing miniature golf was a fun time for every age.