Where you choose to live is as big of a choice as the floor plan you choose, or the finish features you select for your new home. So why choose Wallingford, Connecticut as the place to build your dream home? Here’s a look at five distinct advantages:

1. You Can Get There From Here (Easily): Wallingford’s location in the center of the state makes it easy to get to anywhere in the state—and the region. There’s even train service from Wallingford to New York City. And if you decide you’d rather stick around town, Wallingford ranks high on the “walkability” scale. With a population under 50,000, you can explore your hometown on foot!

2. Property Taxes That Aren’t So Taxing: Often, new homeowners will forget to calculate property taxes when figuring our the cost of a new home. The property taxes in Wallingford are lower than many other parts of Connecticut. That makes the cost of a home more affordable and stretches your hard-earned dollars father.

3. Great Quality of Life for All Ages: In addition to having one of the lowest crime rates of any city in the region, Wallingford public schools are some of the best for children and offers superb healthcare for young and mature alike. Plus the city has numerous parks, recreation facilities, green spaces and outdoor facilities.

4. A Sense of History: Founded in 1670, Wallingford is vibrant today, but has strong roots in the past. Even our first President, George Washington, knew Wallingford. He visited twice: In 1775 he passed through while gathering provisions for his troops. Later (in 1789) he passed through town as President of the United States. The town is dotted with historic buildings and pubs as well that have stories to tell about Wallingford’s history.

5. A Sense of Community: One of the advantages of having a smaller population is that there is a sense of community within the town. One way you can learn more about the people and events of Wallingford is to visit their community forum on Facebook. The forum was originally established in 2012 to help residents find information and assistance in the wake of Hurricane Sandy. Since that, time, however, more than 11,000 people have joined the forum to keep up with (and discuss) events that impact life in this gorgeous community. It’s a great way to get a feel for what the community is like and what’s important to residents. And don’t worry about being sold anything. The forum doesn’t allow any selling on the site!