Is being in an area of Connecticut that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Bridgeport and New Haven, while others want peace and quiet like in Byram and Pawcatuck, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Connecticut have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Constitution State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Connecticut For 2024
What’s the fastest growing city in Connecticut for 2024? Based on the most recent ACS data, Bethel ranks as the fastest-growing city in Connecticut. If you happen to be a resident of Bethel, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Connecticut grow like weeds.
For more Connecticut state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Connecticut
- Cheapest Places To Live In Connecticut
- Most Dangerous Cities In Connecticut
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Connecticut For 2024
1. Bethel
/10
Population: 11,551
Population 2010: 8,799
Percent Growth 31.3%
Absolute Growth: 2,752
More on Bethel: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
2. Hazardville
/10
Population: 6,123
Population 2010: 4,796
Percent Growth 27.7%
Absolute Growth: 1,327
More on Hazardville: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
3. Storrs
/10
Population: 17,606
Population 2010: 14,134
Percent Growth 24.6%
Absolute Growth: 3,472
More on Storrs: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
4. Manchester
/10
Population: 37,015
Population 2010: 29,917
Percent Growth 23.7%
Absolute Growth: 7,098
More on Manchester: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
5. Cos Cob
/10
Population: 7,243
Population 2010: 6,126
Percent Growth 18.2%
Absolute Growth: 1,117
More on Cos Cob: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
6. Byram
/10
Population: 5,285
Population 2010: 4,614
Percent Growth 14.5%
Absolute Growth: 671
More on Byram: Real Estate
7. Glastonbury Center
/10
Population: 7,959
Population 2010: 7,054
Percent Growth 12.8%
Absolute Growth: 905
More on Glastonbury Center: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
8. Stamford
/10
Population: 135,413
Population 2010: 120,907
Percent Growth 12.0%
Absolute Growth: 14,506
More on Stamford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
9. Cheshire Village
/10
Population: 5,879
Population 2010: 5,327
Percent Growth 10.4%
Absolute Growth: 552
More on Cheshire Village: Data | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
10. New Milford
/10
Population: 7,095
Population 2010: 6,437
Percent Growth 10.2%
Absolute Growth: 658
More on New Milford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Real Estate
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Constitution State for 2024
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2022)
We ranked all 56 Connecticut cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Constitution State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2024. This report is our tenth time ranking the fastest growing cities in Connecticut.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Connecticut with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Connecticut, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Connecticut are led by Bethel which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Connecticut are Bethel, Hazardville, Storrs, Manchester, Cos Cob, Byram, Glastonbury Center, Stamford, Cheshire Village, and New Milford.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Rockville
- Groton
- Thompsonville
For more Connecticut reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Connecticut
- Safest Places In Connecticut
- Worst Places To Live In Connecticut
Fastest Growing Places In Connecticut For 2024
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bethel | 11,551 | 8,799 | 31.3% | 2,752 |
| 2 | Hazardville | 6,123 | 4,796 | 27.7% | 1,327 |
| 3 | Storrs | 17,606 | 14,134 | 24.6% | 3,472 |
| 4 | Manchester | 37,015 | 29,917 | 23.7% | 7,098 |
| 5 | Cos Cob | 7,243 | 6,126 | 18.2% | 1,117 |
| 6 | Byram | 5,285 | 4,614 | 14.5% | 671 |
| 7 | Glastonbury Center | 7,959 | 7,054 | 12.8% | 905 |
| 8 | Stamford | 135,413 | 120,907 | 12.0% | 14,506 |
| 9 | Cheshire Village | 5,879 | 5,327 | 10.4% | 552 |
| 10 | New Milford | 7,095 | 6,437 | 10.2% | 658 |