Stonington, CT Real Estate and Homes for Sale

Stonington, Connecticut, is a shoreline town in the southeastern corner of the state, next to Westerly, Rhode Island, and about 20 to 25 minutes from Naval Submarine Base New London. This guide covers Stonington Borough, Pawcatuck, Lords Point, Wequetequock, Old Mystic, Mason's Island and the Stonington side of Mystic: what it is like to live here, things to do, places to eat, and what to know before buying or selling a home.

Stonington is in the southeastern corner of Connecticut, with Fishers Island Sound to the south, Groton and Ledyard to the west and Westerly, Rhode Island to the east across the Pawcatuck River.

• Stonington Borough. Chartered in 1801, the oldest borough in Connecticut sits on a small peninsula with closely spaced Colonial, Federal and Greek Revival houses. Stonington Harbor is home to the state's last commercial fishing fleet.
• Pawcatuck. The village across the Pawcatuck River from downtown Westerly. Its Mechanic Street Historic District includes former mills and worker housing, and Stonington High School is here.
• Mystic, east bank. The Stonington half of Mystic, which has its own page on this site.
• Old Mystic. A village north of Mystic on Route 27. Its eastern half is in Stonington.
• Lords Point. A shoreline community established in 1909. Its beaches and docks are for Lords Point residents and their guests.
• Wequetequock. A community between the Borough and Pawcatuck with its own fire district.
• Mason's Island. An island at the mouth of the Mystic River, joined to the mainland by a causeway.

Interstate 95 crosses the town, and U.S. Route 1 runs through Mystic and Pawcatuck. Route 234, the Pequot Trail, connects Old Mystic with Pawcatuck. Amtrak's Northeast Regional stops in Mystic and at Westerly station, just over the state line.

Tourism centered on Mystic Seaport Museum and Mystic Aquarium is a large part of the local economy, and the fishing fleet works from the Town Dock in the Borough. The submarine base, Electric Boat and Pfizer in Groton are about 20 to 25 minutes west by Interstate 95.

Outside Mystic, recreation in Stonington centers on the harbor, the shoreline and preserved land.

• Lighthouse Museum. The 1840 stone lighthouse at 7 Water Street, a museum since 1927. Visitors can climb the tower in season.
• DuBois Beach. A small beach at Stonington Point run by the Stonington Community Center. A season or day pass is required in summer while lifeguards are on duty.
• Barn Island Wildlife Management Area. 1,013 acres of state land with trails across salt marsh, beside a state boat launch on Palmer Neck Road.
• Captain Nathaniel B. Palmer House. A National Historic Landmark house museum at 40 Palmer Street.
• Spellman Park. Town athletic fields, tennis and basketball courts and a playground in Pawcatuck.
• Hiking preserves. The Town's Hike Stonington list includes Avalonia Land Conservancy properties such as Knox Preserve and Paffard Woods.
• Pequot Golf Club. An 18-hole course on Wheeler Road.
• Blessing of the Fleet. An annual summer event in the Borough honoring the fishing fleet.

More ideas: Things to do in Stonington on Tripadvisor.

In Stonington Borough, shops, galleries and restaurants line Water Street, which ends near DuBois Beach and the Lighthouse Museum at Stonington Point. Several restaurants look out on Stonington Harbor. The Stonington Village Farmers Market is held weekly at the Velvet Mill on Bayview Avenue, which also houses a brewery taproom. In Pawcatuck, places to eat are around West Broad Street and Mechanic Street, near the Pawcatuck River and across from downtown Westerly. On a weekend, people walk Water Street, watch boats in the harbor or hike at Barn Island.

• Noah's Restaurant. Chef-owned restaurant on Water Street in Stonington Borough, open since 1979, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
• Dog Watch Cafe. Casual restaurant at Dodson Boatyard on Water Street in the Borough, with waterfront seating on Stonington Harbor.
• Breakwater. Seafood restaurant on Water Street in the Borough with views of Stonington Harbor and Fishers Island Sound.
• Milagro Cafe. Mexican restaurant on Water Street in the Borough.
• C.C. O'Brien's Sports Cafe. Irish sports pub on Mechanic Street in Pawcatuck serving pub food and draft beer.
• Beer'd Brewing Co.. Brewery taproom at the Velvet Mill on Bayview Avenue in Stonington.

More places to eat: Restaurants in Stonington on Tripadvisor.

Town and district taxes. In Stonington, property is taxed by the Town and, in most areas, by a fire district or association as well. The districts include Pawcatuck, Stonington, Mystic, Old Mystic, Quiambaug, Wequetequock, Lords Point, Latimer Point, Wamphassuc Point and Mason's Island. Stonington Borough has its own government and budget, which funds the Borough fire department instead of a separate fire tax. The Town's tax office has the current rates.

Flood zones. According to the Town of Stonington, about one-third of the parcels in town are within a Special Flood Hazard Area. The Borough is bordered almost entirely by tidal water, Lords Point has taken heavy damage in hurricane tidal flooding, and storm surge also floods land along the Pawcatuck River. A home in a high-risk zone needs flood insurance if the mortgage is federally backed, so a flood map check and an insurance quote belong at the start of the search.

Sewer, septic and wells. The Stonington Water Pollution Control Authority runs three sewer systems that serve the more populated areas, including Mystic, Old Mystic, Pawcatuck and Stonington Borough. The rest of town uses on-site septic systems. Buyers should confirm sewer and water service for each address and have any septic system or private well tested.

Older homes and association rules. The Borough and Pawcatuck's mill district have some of the oldest housing in town, so inspections should be thorough. In Lords Point and on Mason's Island, buyers should ask for the association rules and any deed restrictions.

Two states. Stonington borders Westerly, Rhode Island, and some buyers compare Pawcatuck with Westerly. Looking at homes on both sides of the line takes an agent licensed in both Connecticut and Rhode Island.

Schools. Stonington Public Schools serves the whole town, including the Borough, Pawcatuck and the Stonington parts of Mystic and Old Mystic. School information is available from Stonington Public Schools. For school profiles from an independent source, see Stonington School District on Niche.com.

Pricing a Stonington home starts with a comparative market analysis that sets it beside recent sales in the same village. The buyer pool includes local buyers, people relocating for work in Groton, and buyers from other states who first see a home online, so professional photography, video and a 3D tour matter. For waterfront homes in the Borough, Lords Point and Mason's Island, drone footage shows the shoreline.