The days of having milk delivered to your doorstep are long gone, but if you were a resident of Oakville, Connecticut, back in the olden days, your bottled milk would not have gone far. Between Oakville and the nearby town of Watertown, over 10,000 quarts of milk were produced each day and delivered to homes in the greater Waterbury area.
Oakville is a census-designated place, or CDP, in Watertown, Connecticut
The days of having milk delivered to your doorstep are long gone, but if you were a resident of Oakville, Connecticut, back in the olden days, your bottled milk would not have gone far. Between Oakville and the nearby town of Watertown, over 10,000 quarts of milk were produced each day and delivered to homes in the greater Waterbury area.
Oakville is a census-designated place, or CDP, in Watertown, Connecticut. Sitting at the base of the Litchfield Hills, Oakville offers residents a hint of fresh country air while keeping them within easy access of Waterbury and Hartford, which are major cities in the area. The CDP has over 9,000 residents according to the last census in 2010, and a land area of just over three square miles.
One thing that you'll find out early as you search for apartments in Oakville is that the prices are quite reasonable. In general, the Litchfield Hills area of Connecticut has lower-priced apartments for rent than the places closer to the big cities, so between the reduced rents and the gorgeous views of the surrounding hills and mountains, it's a win-win situation for you! With about a quarter of Oakville residents living in rental homes, it shouldn't be too difficult to find a place to live, whether you're looking for a tiny studio apartment or a large single-family house for rent.
Before you begin your search, you'll want to gather all of the documentation normally required by landlords. You know, proof that you have a job, evidence that you pay your bills and all the rest. Don't be surprised if a potential landlord runs your credit report! If you haven't checked yours in a while, now's the time to do so in order to avoid any unexpected errors that take you a month or more to clear up and might cause you to lose your dream home! Check for apartments online, or pick up a copy of the Waterbury Republican-American, the area newspaper.
As for the best time to move to Oakville, it's prudent to remember two things: The first is that the Litchfield Hills get a lot of snow in the winter. The second is that Oakville is quite hilly. What this means is that if you're planning to move in the winter and you choose an apartment on top of a big hill, you'd better invest in some snow tires! The spring, summer and fall are often more desirable times to move, but if your current lease is up while Old Man Winter is still blowing off his steam, then what can you do? Don a parka and some snow boots and get to work!
At just three miles square, Oakville really isn't divided into neighborhoods. In fact, it's thought of as a neighborhood of the larger town of Watertown. Still, there are a couple of areas worth special consideration:
Main Street: Main Street runs along the southern edge of the CDP, and it's home to most of what you'll want to do in terms of errands, restaurants and shopping in town. The WalkScore of Oakville is a foot-friendly 62; the closer you live to Main Street, the more likely you are to be able to hoof it on your daily or weekly errands. If you live a mile or two north of Main Street, then you probably will only be walking on the mildest of days. Remember those hills we talked about earlier? They'll give you a good workout, no matter where you live in the town!
Greenbriar Hills Apartments: If you are hoping to live in an apartment complex, you'll want to check out Greenbriar Hills Apartments. These are located on Falls Terrace, not far from Buckingham Street, and they feature one and two bedroom apartments, most of which have a private porch. You'll be able to see the world-famous New England foliage of the nearby hills right from the privacy of your own home!
One great thing about living in Oakville is that you'll be in close proximity to some major thoroughfares, including Routes 6 and 8 and Interstate 84. From these routes, you can go up to Massachusetts, down to New York and across the state toward Hartford. Most people living in Oakville work in other cities, so an easy commute is important. There is no public transportation in Oakville itself, but if you want to park in nearby Waterbury, you can catch a bus to Meriden, New Haven or other areas of the state.
Are you hungry? Something you'll notice about Oakville is that you'll have your pick of restaurants, even though it's a small area. As in most of Connecticut, you'll see lots of pizza places. Everyone has their own idea of what makes a perfect pie, and living between New York, New Jersey and Boston gives the area chefs lots of inspiration! Try slices at Paradise Pizza, Oakville Pizza, Ro's Pizza Restaurant or Martino's Pizzeria, and choose your favorite! Locals also love to flock to nearby Frankie's, which offers up gourmet hot dogs with any topping you can think of. Their deep-fried vegetables are to die for, too!
Time to work off all of that food? Bally's Fitness is located in nearby Middlebury, but if you want to stick closer to home, trek up and down those hills to burn off some calories! There are also quite few parks in town: close by is tiny Aldorizo Park and much larger Echo Park, or you can drive a few miles into Middlebury to go hiking, swimming and biking through Hop Brook Park.
When you're ready to go shopping, there are a few options in town, such as Val's Unique Boutique and the David Brown Book Company, or Waterbury's Brass Mill Center is just a few miles away. Here, you can catch the newest blockbuster at the cinemas or shop till you drop at larger departments stores like Burlington Coat Factory and JC Penney, as well as favorites like Old Navy, Yankee Candle Company and Bath and Body Works.
Living in Oakville can give you easy access to Connecticut's bigger cities plus a nice small-town atmosphere, complete with lots of trees and friendly neighbors. Start planning your move to Oakville today.
