Best place to raise kids in Connecticut: Kensington

Nearby city: Hartford
Population: 8,479
Median family income: $90,189
Runner-up: Portland

Kensington, a city about 14 miles south of Hartford, belongs to the Berlin School District, which has two public elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school. Several parks, golf courses, and country clubs are in the area. Kensington residents can commute via Amtrak, which has a station in the town. (For rush hour commuters to midtown Manhattan, Penn Station can be reached via shuttle, which takes just over 30 minutes.)