Coastal Connecticut, often called the Connecticut Shore or the Connecticut Shoreline, comprises all of

Connecticut Connecticut ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York (state), New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. ...

's southern border along

Long Island Sound Long Island Sound is a sound (geography), marine sound and tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies predominantly between the U.S. state of Connecticut to the north and Long Island in New York (state), New York to the south. From west to east, ...

, from

Greenwich Greenwich ( , , ) is an List of areas of London, area in south-east London, England, within the Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county of Greater London, east-south-east of Charing Cross. Greenwich is notable for its maritime hi ...

in the west to Stonington in the east, as well as the tidal portions of the

Housatonic River The Housatonic River ( ) is a river, approximately long,U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map , accessed April 1, 2011 in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United ...

, Quinnipiac River,

Connecticut River The Connecticut River is the longest river in the New England region of the United States, flowing roughly southward for through four states. It rises 300 yards (270 m) south of the U.S. border with Quebec, Canada, and discharges into Long Isl ...

, and

Thames River The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the ...

. It includes the southern sections of the state's Fairfield,

New Haven New Haven is a city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound. With a population of 135,081 as determined by the 2020 U.S. census, New Haven is the third largest city in Co ...

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, former county in South East England, now mainly within Greater London. Its boundaries largely followed three rivers: the River Thames, Thames in the south, the River Lea, Le ...

and New London counties. Coastal Connecticut has a modestly different local culture than inland Connecticut. Many of the residents of coastal Connecticut are much more tied to coastal activity (i.e. boating, beaches) and the region sees an influx of tourists in the May to October season, compared to inland Connecticut. Coastal Connecticut is the mildest area in Connecticut in winter and often has a frost-free season that is up to one month longer than inland areas. Snowfall in coastal Connecticut is often light and melts quickly due to the oceanic influences. The region, as defined in the Connecticut General Statutes, consists of 36 Connecticut towns, including several of the largest in Connecticut.

Towns in the coastal area

This is a list of the towns and cities of Coastal Connecticut listed in geographical order from west to east. *

* Stamford * Darien * Norwalk * Westport * Fairfield * Bridgeport * Stratford * Milford * West Haven *

* East Haven * Branford * Guilford * Madison * Clinton * Westbrook * Old Saybrook * Old Lyme * East Lyme *

Waterford Waterford ( ) is a City status in Ireland, city in County Waterford in the South-East Region, Ireland, south-east of Ireland. It is located within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Munster. The city is situated at the head of Waterford H ...

* New London * Groton * Stonington

References

*''General Statutes of Connecticut'' (2007), Title 22a, Chapter 444, Section 22a-94. Regions of Connecticut Long Island Sound * {{Connecticut-stub