PCSing to Connecticut

Taxes for Military Families in Connecticut

Connecticut fully exempts military retirement pay from state income tax, and VA disability is untaxed; active-duty pay is taxable for residents, though nonresidents stationed in-state on military orders generally are not taxed on it. Property taxes are high — Connecticut funds towns through the mill-rate system — and veteran property tax exemptions are modest base amounts that towns may supplement, with larger exemptions for disabled veterans. Recent legislation added a full exemption for certain 100% disabled veterans; verify with your town assessor.

Connecticut Veteran Benefits Worth Knowing

• Full state income tax exemption on military retirement pay
• Property tax exemptions for wartime veterans, larger for disabled veterans, including a full homestead exemption for qualifying 100% disabled veterans under recent legislation
• Tuition waivers at Connecticut public colleges and universities for qualifying wartime veterans
• Veterans' homes and robust state Department of Veterans Affairs support services

The Connecticut Housing Market for Military Buyers

Southeastern Connecticut around SUBASE is the state's military value pocket: Groton, Ledyard, Montville, and Norwich price well below Fairfield County and most of coastal New England, and constant submarine-community turnover supports resale. Inventory is chronically tight, so pre-approval before house-hunting leave matters. Factor mill rates into your payment math — two similarly priced homes in different towns can differ by hundreds of dollars a month in taxes.

Top School Districts & Counties in Connecticut

• Near SUBASE New London: Ledyard Public Schools is the traditional submariner favorite in New London County
• Also near SUBASE: East Lyme and Waterford schools draw families west of the Thames
• Groton itself: Groton Public Schools serves base housing and offers the shortest commutes
• Near Bradley ANGB: Simsbury and Granby schools in the Farmington Valley are Hartford-area standouts

Weather & Climate in Connecticut

Expect real four-season ownership costs: snowy winters mean plowing, ice damming, and heating bills — many older homes run on oil heat, so check tank age and condition, and price a conversion if needed. Summers are mild by Southern standards. Coastal Groton and New London carry nor'easter and hurricane-remnant flood exposure, so review FEMA flood zones near the Thames and shoreline. Older housing stock makes sewer-line and foundation inspections worthwhile.

Traffic & Commutes in Connecticut

Southeastern Connecticut commutes are short but chokepoint-driven: the Gold Star Memorial Bridge over the Thames on I-95 backs up at shift change, so living on the Groton/Ledyard side of the river saves SUBASE commuters real time versus East Lyme or Waterford. Route 12 through Groton crawls at peak gate hours. Bradley ANGB commuters ride I-91 and Route 20, which stay manageable outside Hartford rush hour.