New Haven Neighborhoods
Many of Yale’s students and postdocs live in one of the five following New Haven neighborhoods:
Science Hill/East Rock/Orange Street – This neighborhood has a high percentage of graduate students who live there. The apartments and houses in this neighborhood are usually quite nice (a number of faculty members also live in this area). Many of the apartments are in multifamily homes. There are also several larger apartment buildings that have good turnover from year to year. This neighborhood has several local grocers, bars, and coffee shops and is on the Yale Shuttle bus line. The East Rock/ Orange Street neighborhood is roughly bordered by Trumbull and Cold Spring Street and Prospect and State Streets.
Central/Downtown – As its name implies, this neighborhood is in the heart of New Haven. Close to stores, restaurants and entertainment, this neighborhood is popular because of its close proximity to both the School of Medicine and Yale’s main campus. Streets in the downtown area include Chapel, Broadway, High, Park, York, and Howe.
Ninth Square – This neighborhood contains some of the newest housing developments in the city as well as a number of luxury accommodations and top restaurants. It is close to downtown and is also very close to the State Street train station. Ninth Square is bound by Chapel, Church, George, and State Streets.
Wooster Square – Wooster Square is a neighborhood east of Yale and is within walking distance of the main part of campus. At the center of the neighborhood is Wooster Square Park. This neighborhood includes Wooster Street, which is New Haven’s “Little Italy” and the home of two famous pizza restaurants, Sally’s and Pepe’s. Wooster Square is bordered by St. John and Water Streets and Olive and Chestnut Streets.
Westville – Westville is the home of the Yale Bowl and the Yale Golf Course. This neighborhood is about 15 minutes from campus by city bus or car. Westville is more residential than the other neighborhoods and tends to be a little less expensive.
Beyond New Haven – In addition to the popular New Haven neighborhoods, some postdocs live in the surrounding cities of Hamden, Woodbridge, Branford, East Haven, or West Haven.
And for more information, visit Yale’s ‘Living in New Haven’ website .
Whichever neighborhood/city you decide to live in, make sure you visit (or have someone visit for you) any room or apartment you are considering renting before making any agreements or signing a lease.
Discrimination because of race, color, ethnicity, and sexual preference is strictly against the law. It is also illegal to turn down an application from a family with children; the sole exception is housing of three or fewer separate apartments where the landlord resides. Any difficulties should be reported to the Yale Housing Office – 203-432-9756.
Maps of New Haven & Beyond - Especially when you first arrive, you’ll want to have a good map. Some helpful links include: https://map.yale.edu, for detailed campus maps.