Evolving Connecticut Communities presented by Dr. Robert G. Cromley Professor of Geography Director, University of Connecticut Center for Geographic Information and Analysis

Population Change in Connecticut The 2000 Census gives us an opportunity to examine how Connecticut and its Towns have changed over the past decade. Overall, the state of Connecticut gained in population from 3,287,116 in 1990 to 3,405,565 in This change in population of 118,449 represents a 3.6% increase in the year 2000 over the year 1990.

Across the state, 30 towns experienced population loss and 139 towns had population gain during the decade. At the town level, the larger towns in Connecticut experienced the highest levels population loss. Hartford (18,161), New Haven (6,848), Groton (5,237) and Bridgeport (2,157) each had over 2,000 in deficits. With respect to population gain, no town had over a 10,000 increase. Danbury (9,263) and Stamford (9,027) gained over 5,000 and 17 other towns gained more than 2,500 population.

Population Change by Town

While absolute counts shed light on where the largest changes are occurring, they do not necessarily show which towns were most heavily impacted by change. Small towns may have a small level of net change in an absolute sense but this amount may represent a large share of their overall population. Percent net change was next calculated to identify the towns most effected by change in a relative sense.

Now the town of Norfolk in Litchfield County had the highest relative share of population loss with 19.4% followed by Hartford (13.0%), Groton (11.6%) and New London (10.1%). With respect to population gain, five towns had over 25% population gain: Sherman (36.2%), Colchester (32.5%), Sterling (31.5%), Scotland (28.1%), East Hampton (28.0%) and Killingworth (25.0%).

Percent Population Change Between 1990 and 2000

Change by Age Cohorts Breaking this change down by age-cohorts: Age Cohort Change % Change , ,356 -5, % , ,377 82, % , , , % , , , % , ,996 70, % , , , % , ,275 13, % , , , % , ,677 31, % ,273 46,993 17, %

Percent Population Change for Age Cohort Between 1990 and 2000

Net Migration (NM) is calculated as: NM = POP 2000 – POP BIRTHS + DEATHS. BIRTHS and DEATHS were totaled as those births and deaths respectively that occurred between April 2, 1990 and April 1, 2000 for the state of Connecticut. Births were assigned to the town of residence of the mother and deaths to the town of residence of the deceased.

The state of Connecticut had an estimated out-migration of population between 1990 and 2000 of 47,549 for a rate of 1.4%. The population gain from 3,287,116 in 1990 to 3,405,565 in 2000 was due to natural increase of 165,998 people - 455,625 births during the decade against only 289,627 deaths.

At the town level, the three largest towns in Connecticut experienced the highest levels of out-migration. Hartford (31,914 )*, New Haven (15,040), Bridgeport (13,144) each had over 10,000 in deficits. The mid- sized town of Groton (10,006) was the only other town having an out-migration of more than a 10,000. With respect to in-migration, no town had over a 5,000 net in-migration. West Hartford (4,448 )*, Hamden (3,994), Southbury (3,860), and Danbury (3,408) had the highest levels. * The net out-migration for Hartford and net in-migration for West Hartford is probably inflated by approximately 2,500 people due to a Census miscount between these two towns.

Overall, 56 towns experienced out-migration and 113 towns experienced net in-migration. New London County had the highest relative share of town experiencing out-migration (9 out of 21 towns) followed by Hartford County (11 out of 29 towns).

Net Migration Between 1990 and 2000

In percentage terms, the town of Norfolk in Litchfield County had the highest relative share of net out-migration with 24.6% followed by Hartford (22.8%) and Groton (22.2%). With respect to net in-migration, five towns had over 20% net in-migration: Sherman (30.7%), Southbury (24.4%), Scotland (21.2%), Sterling (20.6%), and East Hampton (20.3%).

Percent Net Migration Between1990 and 2000

Net Migration by Age Cohorts Breaking net migration down by age-cohorts: Age Cohort in 1990 Net Migration % Net Migration , % , % , % , % , % , % , %