Guilford is a small, historic community nestled along the Long Island Sound. Its rustic character and traditional charm are accented by the vitality of the community. Guilford is home to one of the finest New England Town Greens, four historic museums displaying Guilford's heritage, over 140 historic homes (the third largest collection of historical homes in New England), public and private town marinas, and boat launch facilities. The town also offers numerous boutique shops, antique markets and art galleries.

Guilford is located 32 miles north of New Haven, 112 miles from Boston and 79 miles from New York. The town is approximately 47.6 square miles and as of the 2001 statistics has a population of 21,403. Guilford is situated between the towns of Branford and Madison.