Population in the nhcog region increased by 44% from 1960-2010

Population in the NHCOG region increased by 44% from 1960-2010

• Population in the NHCOG region increased by 44% from 1960-2010

• 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 (2000-2010)

• Seven NHCOG towns saw their population more than double from 1960-2010: 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%

Region’s population increased 2% from 2001-2014

• 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 2009-2010)
• Sharon had the biggest one-year decrease (-8.4% in 2009-2010)

Over 10% of the housing units in the NHCOG were classified as “vacant for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use” in 2014

• 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

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 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%)

The region’s population is projected to increase by 909 people, or 1%, from 2015-2025

• The region’s population is projected to increase by 909 people, or 1%, from 2015-2025

• 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 2020-2025 compared to 2015-2020)

• 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

The region has seen an overall decrease in public school enrollment in town and regional school districts from 2001-02 academic year to 2014-15

• The region has seen an overall decrease in public school enrollment in town and regional school districts from 2001-02 academic year to 2014-15

• 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)

Member Communities

• Member Communities

• 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 2016-17) – 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 2016-17) – Enfield
• Two Rivers Magnet High School (9-12) – Hartford
• Two Rivers Magnet Middle School (6-8) – East Hartford

The population in the NHCOG area is relatively well-educated

• 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

Median household income is higher in the region than in both the state and the nation

• 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

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

• 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

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.

• 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 2010-2014 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.