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South Central Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut

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South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG)
Planning region
From top left: New Haven Green, Main Street in Meriden, Downtown New Haven, Milford Harbor, Yale University campus
Official logo of South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG)
Logo
Map of Connecticut highlighting South Central Connecticut Planning Region
Location within the U.S. state of Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°22′N 72°49′W / 41.36°N 72.82°W / 41.36; -72.82
Country United States
State Connecticut
Founded2013
Largest cityNew Haven
Other citiesMeriden, West Haven, Milford
Government
 • Executive DirectorLaura Francis
Area
 • Total
367.2 sq mi (951 km2)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
570,487
 • Estimate 
(2025)
578,741 Increase
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts2nd, 3rd, 5th
Websitescrcog.org
Map
Interactive map of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region

The South Central Connecticut Planning Region is a planning region in the Councils of governments in Connecticut and a county-equivalent in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is entirely within New Haven County. It is served by the coterminous South Central Regional Council of Governments (SCRCOG). In 2022, planning regions were approved to replace Connecticut's counties as county-equivalents for statistical purposes, with full implementation occurring by 2024.[1][2] It is also coterminous with the New Haven metropolitan statistical area (MSA).[3] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the New Haven MSA had an estimated population of 576,718 as of 2024.[4] The New Haven MSA is also included in the wider region known as the New York Tri-State Area.[5]

Greater New Haven is the metropolitan area whose extent includes those towns in the U.S. state of Connecticut that share an economic, social, political, and historical focus on the city of New Haven. It occupies the south-central portion of the state, in a radius around New Haven. The region is known for its educational and economic connections to Yale University, oceanside recreation and the beach-community feel of the shoreline towns east of New Haven, and the trap rock landscapes stretching north from New Haven.

Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
17908,007—
18007,948−0.7%
18108,1622.7%
182024,999206.3%
183030,28121.1%
184034,83915.1%
185047,95337.6%
186070,67547.4%
187086,83822.9%
1880108,11324.5%
1890140,29829.8%
1900172,25122.8%
1910215,59725.2%
1920267,84124.2%
1930301,48312.6%
1940319,4045.9%
1950364,06114.0%
1960448,83523.3%
1970507,83713.1%
1980514,3331.3%
1990536,8534.4%
2000546,7061.8%
2010570,0014.3%
2020570,4870.1%
2025 (est.)578,741[6] Increase1.4%
U.S. Decennial Census[2]

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 570,487 people living in the South Central Connecticut Planning Region.[2]

Municipalities

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There are several official definitions of Greater New Haven. There are 13 municipalities that are included in all definitions. These are:

The following municipalities are members of the South Central Connecticut Region:[7]

Cities

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Towns

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New Haven Service Delivery Area

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A service delivery area is a geographical area within which employment and training services are provided under the Job Training Partnership Act.[8] This definition contains 14 towns and cities, with the town of Clinton added to the thirteen listed above.[9]

South Central Planning Region

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The South Central Connecticut Planning Region is an officially designated region of Connecticut administered by a regional council of governments.[10] The regional council carries out land use, infrastructure, and long-term economic planning for the member towns. This definition contains 15 towns and includes the towns/cities of Meriden and Milford, in addition to those listed above.

New Haven Labor Market Area

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A labor market area, as defined by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is an economically integrated area within which individuals can reside and find employment within a reasonable distance or can readily change employment without changing their place of residence.[11] This definition contains 17 towns including the towns of Cheshire, Clinton, Killingworth, and Meriden.

New England City and Town Area

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The New Haven NECTA is the set of towns containing the contiguous urbanized area centered on the city of New Haven, plus additional outlying towns that have a sufficient number of people commuting into the central towns. This definition includes 23 towns, adding the following ten towns:[12] Chester, Cheshire, Clinton, Deep River, Durham, Essex, Killingworth, Meriden, Middlefield, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook. As of the 2000 Census, the NECTA had a population of 571,310.[13] NECTAs were discontinued in 2021.[14]

Metropolitan Statistical Area

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The New Haven, CT MSA is the contiguous urbanized area centered on the city of New Haven. The MSA is coterminous with the South Central Connecticut Planning Region.[15] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the New Haven, CT MSA had an estimated population of 576,718 as of 2024.[4] The New Haven, CT MSA was included in the New York–Newark–Bridgeport Combined Statistical Area until 2023 when it was added to and became a major part of the New Haven–Hartford–Waterbury, CT CSA instead.[15]

Transportation

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Rail

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New Haven Union Station serves as the central point of rail service in Greater New Haven.

Metro North's New Haven Line serves New Haven State Street and New Haven Union Station in downtown New Haven, West Haven as well as Milford.

Shore Line East serves both New Haven stations plus Branford, Guilford, Madison, Clinton and Westbrook in the region, with service to Old Saybrook and New London as well as limited service to west of New Haven.

Both of Amtrak's Northeast Corridor services go through New Haven Union Station; most Acela Express and all Northeast Regional trains stop. Additionally, the Amtrak Hartford Line offers local service to Springfield, which is supplemented by the Hartford Line commuter service.

Bus

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CTTransit serves the Greater New Haven area.

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Governor Lamont Announces U.S. Census Bureau Approves Proposal for Connecticut's Planning Regions To Become County Equivalents". CT.gov. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Change to County-Equivalents in the State of Connecticut". Federal Register. June 6, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  3. ↑ "OMB Bulletin No. 23-01" (PDF). July 21, 2023. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Metropolitan Statistical Areas in the United States and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2024 (CBSA-MET-EST2024-POP)". Retrieved May 26, 2025.
  5. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau - Definitions of Combined Statistical Areas Archived 2006-06-14 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ↑ "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2025". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved April 10, 2026.
  7. ↑ "South Central Regional Council of Governments". Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  8. ↑ Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development - Service Delivery Areas
  9. ↑ CT Service Delivery Areas
  10. ↑ Official website of the South Central Region
  11. ↑ Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development - Labor Market Areas
  12. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau - Definitions of NECTAs
  13. ↑ Population in New England City and Town Areas (NECTAs) and Their Geographic Components in Alphabetical Order and Numerical and Percent Change: 1990 and 2000
  14. ↑ "86 FR 37770". Federal Register. July 16, 2021. Retrieved July 5, 2025.
  15. 1 2 "OMB Bulletin No. 23-01" (PDF). White House. July 21, 2023. Retrieved May 3, 2024.
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