Connecticut Demographic Report
Introduction
The Decennial Census of Population and Housing occurs every ten years, with the most recent in 2020. This United States Census Bureau conducts a decennial census to determine the count of people living in the United States, along with the collection of demographic and housing data. The decennial census is required by the Constitution and is used for a variety of processes, including apportionment and redistricting.
Connecticut receives $10.7 billion in federal funding for infrastructure, community assistance, and many other vital programs. Proper funding relies on a proper census count, as Connecticut loses approximately $2,900 in funding for each person not counted. As the State Data Center, CTData played a vital role in ensuring an accurate and complete count for the 2020 census, from developing outreach materials for undercounted communities to providing weekly updates on Connecticut’s progress.
While the 2020 redistricting data is used by federal and local governments for apportionment and redistricting, it can also be used to explore demographic changes from 2010 to 2020 in Connecticut. In this data story, we will provide our high-level findings, along with our full analyses if you are interested in learning more.
Population and Housing
In this section, we explore data around population and housing from 2010 to 2020. We investigate overall population changes, as well as disaggregations by town and race/ethnicity. We also look at population and housing changes in tandem and point out potential trends.
Population Changes
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Increase of 0.9% (3,574,097 to 3,605,944), compared to increases of 7.4% nationwide and in Massachusetts and 4.3% in New York and Rhode Island
Largest towns remained the same (Bridgeport, Stamford, New Haven, Hartford, Waterbury)
Of these towns, Stamford grew the most, by 10.5% (+12,827)
BIPOC population has consistently increased: from 22.5% in 2000, to 28.8% in 2010, to 36.8% in 2020
Housing Changes
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Connecticut Housing and Population Changes From 2010 to 2020
Increase of 2.8% (1,487,891 to 1,530,197 units), compared to a population increase of only 0.9%
Moderate correlation between housing and population changes (Pearson’s r = 0.53)
74% of towns experienced an increase in housing, while only 41% experienced an increase in population
Mansfield (+15.6%), Stamford (+12.6%), and Simsbury (+10.2%) experienced the highest increases in housing
Race and Ethnicity
In this section, we explore the most common race and ethnicity of residents in Connecticut, along with the second and third most common to provide a different perspective of analysis. We provide a methodology to determine a measure of diversity and apply the methodology to towns in Connecticut.
Race/Ethnicity By Census Tract
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We explored the first, second, and third most common race/ethnicity by census tract:
First most common: white (78% of census tracts)
Second most common: Hispanic/Latino (59% of census tracts)
Third most common: Two or More Races (25% of census tracts)
In addition to exploring common race or ethnicity, we analyzed the diversity of Connecticut residents from 2010 to 2020 using the Diversity Index developed by the Census Bureau
From 2010 to 2020, Connecticut’s diversity index increased from 46% to 56%
99% of towns in Connecticut experienced an increase in the diversity index
Connecticut has the highest diversity index compared to all other states in New England
Highest diversity indices: New Haven (73%), East Hartford (72%), and Waterbury (69%)
Lowest diversity indices: Lyme (13%), Morris (14%), and Barkhamsted (14%)
Special Topics
In this section, we explore special topics that have come up in our work, from both internal discussions and feedback from the community and state partners. We investigate the population decline of youth, with a spotlight on Hartford, as well as the change in household income over the past decade.
Youth Population Decline: Hartford
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The population of youth in Hartford has been declining since 2000
White youth in Hartford has been shrinking in size at the fastest rate, from 5.9% of the youth population in 2000, to 5.0% in 2010, to 4.4% in 2020
Similar trend seen in Hartford School District enrollment data
Total enrollment dropped from 21,463 students to 17,733 from academic years 2015 to 2020
Median household income increased by 16% from 2010 to 2019
Hispanic or Latino households experience highest increase in income, but remain well below the Connecticut average
Asian and white households consistently have the highest income
Looking Forward
We would like to end with discussing potential demographic data collection improvements in the future and provide resources to allow you to stay informed and provide feedback or discussion.
Equity in Data Community of Practice
Learn more and join our discussions!
Group of data users in Connecticut working toward integrating more equitable data practices, focusing on racial equity
Topics of discussion include:
Ensuring all groups of people are visible/present in disaggregated data
Focusing on strength-based, rather than deficit-based language
Building trust around data with organizations and communities
Improving Demographic Data Collection
See our summary of the discussion:
Connecticut statute focus on standardizing the collection of race, ethnicity, and language data across state agencies
Full presentation outlining details of statute
For More Information
If you are interested to learn more about CTData, check out what we do and the services we provide. For training and tips on how to use data to inform your personal and professional life, register for one of our CTData Academy workshops or browse our blog. You can keep up with us by subscribing to the CTData newsletter and following us on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.