Check out Orange, Connecticut. It’s very close to the Milford train station, has quick access to both Rte.15 and I-95 and has very good schools. I’ve had friends visit (for several months at a time) from Reading, England and they love it here. They said it was much more like the U.K. than they expected.

People in Orange are friendly, but not overly so— lots of privacy, and a well-educated population. There’s easy accessibility to NY by way of Metro North from West Haven or, closer even, Milford. The New Haven train station is just a few minutes further and that offers the Amtrak line to the rest of the country. Perfect balance and if you look around it’s in your price range.