1. Demographic Data Prepared for the
Northwest Hills Council of Governments
By the Connecticut Economic Resource Center
2016 *FINAL*

2. Total Population – Historical
Population in the NHCOG region increased by 44% from
The region’s long-term growth is slightly greater than that in the state (41%) but slower than that of the United States (72%) during the same 50 years
The region had a population increase of 5% in the most recent ten- year period ( )
Seven NHCOG towns saw their population more than double from : Burlington, 233%; Barkhamsted, 177%; Roxbury, 148%; Warren, 144%; Goshen, 131%; New Hartford, 130%; Morris, 101%
Warren had the largest growth in the past 10 years (17%)
Burlington, Canaan, Goshen, New Hartford, and Warren had double-digit growth in past 10 years
Norfolk was the only town that had a decrease (-6%) over the 50-year period
Five towns had a decrease over the last 10 years: Sharon, -6%; Salisbury, -6%; North Canaan, -1%; Cornwall, -1%; Washington, -1%

3. Change in Total Population – Historical U.S., Connecticut, and Region
Source: U.S. Census; CT.gov

4. Total Population – Historical By Town
Source: U.S. Census; CT.gov

5. Annual Population Change
AVE ANNUAL CHANGE IN ABSOLUTE NUMBERS. NHCOG region’s population increased by 44% over 50 year period ( ), slightly higher increase than State (41%) but lower than US (72%)
Two towns in NHCOG region with highest rate of increase over that time period were Burlington (233%, 6,500 people) and Barkhamsted (177%, 2,429). Torrington grew by about the same number of people as Burlington.
Sources: U.S. Census; CT.gov; CT Data

6. Annual Population Change
Region’s population increased 2% from (recent 14 year period)- projected to increase by about 1% over next 10 years
This was compared to a 5% increase in Connecticut and 13% increase in U.S.
Region averaged between an increase of 1% or a decrease of 1% each year during the period (BASICALLY FLAT)
21-town Region’s total population in 2014 was about 113,000 (about 10,000 less people than live in the City of Hartford alone)
WHY DOES THIS MATTER- not dealing with land use issues realated to population growth, just changes in the demogaphics- larger percent of seasonal homes, aging pop.
Sources: U.S. Census; CT.gov; CT Data

7. Total Population Region’s population increased 2% from 2001-2014
This is compared to a 5% increase in Connecticut and 13% increase in U.S.
The region’s overall population change ranged from an increase of 1% to a decrease of 1% each year during the period
12 towns increased their populations over this time period, and 9 towns had a population decrease
In 2014, every town except Burlington saw a decrease in population
Greatest decrease was in Canaan (-1.6%), which also had the biggest one-year increase in population during this period (12.6% increase in )
Sharon had the biggest one-year decrease (-8.4% in )

8. Change in Total Population U.S., Connecticut, and Region
Source: U.S. Census; CT.gov

9. Total Population By Town
Source: CT.gov

10. Part-time Population
Over 10% of the housing units in the NHCOG were classified as “vacant for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use” in 2014
The vacancy rate for seasonal or recreational properties was only 2% in the state and 4% in the nation
Salisbury and Cornwall had the highest rates of seasonal vacant housing. In both towns, it was more than 30% of total housing units
Salisbury also had the greatest absolute number of part-time use properties
Assuming these vacant properties were occupied at the region’s average household size, the region’s “seasonal population” would represent almost 13% of the region’s actual population
Cornwall and Salisbury would have seasonal populations over 50% of their actual population, and an additional 7 towns would have seasonal populations that were at least 25% of the towns’ actual populations

11. Seasonal Vacancies (2014)
Source: American Community Survey

12. Part-time Population (2014)
Source: American Community Survey

13. Population by Age Group
The population in the region is slightly older than that of the state and the nation: 18% of the population is over 65 years old in the region, while this cohort represents 15% of Connecticut’s population and 14% of the U.S. population
The region’s population has historically been slightly older than that of the nation and the state
The difference is even more dramatic adding in the cohort aged 45-64: those over 45 represent more than 50% of the region’s population but only 43% of the state’s and 40% of the nation’s population
Those under 18 years old comprise 20% of the region’s population, 22% of the state’s, and 24% of the nation’s
Of the towns, the over 65 population percentage is the greatest in Sharon (31%), Washington (25%), and Salisbury (25%)
The relative percentage of the town’s population over age 65 is smaller than the regional average in eight towns (Barkhamsted, Burlington, Colebrook, Goshen, Hartland, Morris, New Hartford, and Torrington)
The relative percentage of the youth population (those under 18 years old) is greatest in Burlington (27%) and smallest in Sharon (13%)

14. Population by Age Group (2014) U.S., Connecticut, and Region
Source: U.S. Census; CT.gov

15. Population by Age Group (2014) By Town
Source: American Community Survey

16. Population by Age – Historical U.S., Connecticut, and Region
Source: U.S. Census; CT.gov

17. Population Projections
The region’s population is projected to increase by 909 people, or 1%, from
11 towns are expected to lose population, ranging from an 11% decrease in Sharon to a 0.3% decrease in North Canaan
New Hartford and Warren are projected to see the largest increases, 6.6% and 6.2%, respectively
Projected decreases will be larger and projected increases smaller in the long term (from compared to )
Residents over 65 will comprise 23.8% of the region’s population in 2020 and 28.0% in 2025
This age cohort will be 18.1% of the state’s population in 2020 and 20.9% in 2025
The school-age population (those 19 years old or younger) will be 19.5% of the region’s population in 2020 and 17.5% in 2025, compared to 23.0% and 22.0% of the state’s population in 2020 and 2025, respectively

18. Population Projections By Town
Source: CT Data Collaborative; Connecticut State Data Center

19. Public School Enrollment
The region has seen an overall decrease in public school enrollment in town and regional school districts from academic year to
All traditional town school districts and four of five regional schools (which provide elementary and secondary schools) had a decrease
Largest decrease was over 51% in the Cornwall School District
Only Regional School District 07 had an increase, which was less than 1%
Charter schools had an increase in enrollment of 10%
Capitol Region Education Council (CREC), which offers magnet school programs, and Education Connection, which offers educational programs in schools, saw increases in enrollment, although this included students from outside the NHCOG region (see slide 21)

20. Public School Enrollment Town School Districts
Source: CT Data Collaborative; CT State Department of Education

21. Public School Enrollment Regional School Districts
Source: CT Data Collaborative; CT State Department of Education

22. Public School Enrollment Other Schools
Source: CT Data Collaborative; CT State Department of Education

23. About CREC Member Communities Preschools and Elementary Schools
NHCOG: Burlington, Hartland, Harwinton, New Hartford
Other: Avon, Berlin, Bloomfield, Bolton, Bristol, Canton, Cromwell, East Granby, East Hartford, East Windsor, Ellington, Enfield, Farmington, Glastonbury, Granby, Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Newington, Plainville, Portland, Rocky Hill, Simsbury, Somers, Southington, South Windsor, Suffield, Vernon, West Hartford, Wethersfield, Windsor, Windsor Locks
Preschools and Elementary Schools
Academy of Aerospace & Engineering Elementary School (PreK-5) – Rocky Hill
Discovery Academy (PreK - 5) – Wethersfield
Glastonbury-East Hartford Elementary Magnet School (PreK-5) – Glastonbury
International Magnet School for Global Citizenship (PreK-5) – South Windsor
Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Academy (PreK) – New Britain
Montessori Magnet School (PreK-6) – Hartford
Museum Academy (PreK-5) – Bloomfield and Windsor
Reggio Magnet School of the Arts (PreK-5) – Avon
The CREC Ana Grace Academy of the Arts Elementary Magnet School (PreK-5) – Avon
University of Hartford Magnet School (PreK-5) – West Hartford
Secondary Schools
Academy of Aerospace & Engineering (6-12) – Windsor
Greater Hartford Academy of Mathematics & Science: Half-Day Program (10-12 in School Year ) – Windsor
Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts (9-12) – Hartford
Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts Magnet Middle School (6-8) – Hartford
Medical Professions and Teacher Preparation Academy (6-12) – New Britain
Metropolitan Learning Center (6-12) – Bloomfield
Public Safety Academy (7-12 in School Year ) – Enfield
Two Rivers Magnet High School (9-12) – Hartford
Two Rivers Magnet Middle School (6-8) – East Hartford

24. Educational Attainment
The population in the NHCOG area is relatively well- educated
Only 9% of the population has less than a high school education, while 11% of the state population and 14% of the U.S. population does not have a high school degree (or equivalent)
14% of the regional population has a graduate degree, while 16% of the Connecticut population and 11% of the U.S. population hold graduate degrees
Cornwall has the greatest proportion of graduate degree holders, relative to the town’s population, at 32%
Five towns have a smaller proportion of graduate degree holders than the region’s 14%
North Canaan has the largest percentage of the population that did not complete high school (15%)
Torrington (14%) and Winchester (12%) also have a greater share of those without high school degrees than the region as a whole

25. Educational Attainment (2014) By U.S., Connecticut, Region, and Town
Source: American Community Survey

26. Household Income
Median household income is higher in the region than in both the state and the nation
Torrington has the lowest median household income, and Burlington has the highest
No town has a lower median household income than that in the United States as a whole
Five towns have a median household income lower than that in the state
Income distribution in the region tends to skew toward higher income groups
13 towns have a larger share of households earning $200,000 or more than in the region as a whole
From a historical perspective, the region has generally had smaller shares of the lowest and highest income families compared to the state

27. Household Income (2014) U.S., Connecticut, and Region
Source: American Community Survey

28. Household Income – Historical U.S., Connecticut, and Region
Source: U.S. Census; CT.gov

29. Household Income (2014) By Town

30. Households in Poverty
The region had both a smaller percentage of households below the poverty line and a smaller proportion of households receiving support from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) than the state and the nation
Only eight towns had a poverty rate above the regional rate, and only two of these towns had a poverty rate greater than that in Connecticut
No town had a poverty rate greater than in the United States
Barkhamsted had both the lowest poverty rate and the lowest absolute number of households in poverty, while Goshen had the highest poverty rate and Torrington had the highest number of households in poverty
Three towns had a greater proportion of households receiving SNAP than in the region or the state (Canaan, Torrington, and Winchester)
With the exception of Canaan, all towns had a higher percentage of households in poverty than those receiving SNAP

31. Households in Poverty (2014) U.S., Connecticut, and Region
Source: American Community Survey; CT Data Collaborative

32. Households in Poverty (2014) By Town
Source: American Community Survey; CT Data Collaborative

33. About the American Community Survey
The American Community Survey (ACS) is an ongoing survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau that provides annual estimates of the national population with respect to a variety of indicators. It is used by decision makers at all levels of government and in private businesses and nonprofit organizations to assess the characteristics – including changes – of the U.S. population. It is a part of the decennial census conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to understand population characteristics during the interim periods. It has a sample design, with the findings weighted to measure the characteristics of the population within specific margins of error or confidence intervals.
ACS results are provided in one-, three- and five-year estimates. Use of the five-year estimates provides a larger sample size and, thus, more precision. This is especially useful for smaller geographic areas, as in the case of most of the towns in the NHCOG region. As such, the results provided in this analysis are from the ACS, which are the most recent five-year estimates available. The Census Bureau also regularly revisits its weighting and sampling methodology, to ensure reliable estimates. For the five-year ACS used here, the Census conducted interviews with over 113,000 randomly selected households in the state.