West Hartford, Connecticut
West Hartford is a town located in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. As of 2004, the town had an estimated total population of 64,255. It is a mostly upmarket suburb of Hartford. The town has a vibrant downtown (called West Hartford Center) centered around Farmington Avenue and South/North Main Street. The Westfarms Mall is located on West Hartford's western border with Farmington. Interstate 84 passes through the south part of town.
West Hartford is the historical center of Greater Hartford's Jewish community. In fact, the town has the of the largest per capita Jewish population of any in the state. It also has Connecticut's largest concentration of immigrants from the former Soviet Union. West Hartford also has the largest Asian community in Greater Hartford which is growing quickly.
West Hartford is home to the American School for the Deaf, University of Connecticut (UCONN) Greater Hartford Campus, University of Hartford, Saint Joseph College, Kingswood-Oxford School, Renbrook School and Northwest Catholic High School
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 57.9 km² (22.4 mi²). 56.9 km² (22.0 mi²) of it is land and 1.0 km² (0.4 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.70% water.
Demographics
| Historical population of West Hartford[1][2][3] | |
| 1850 | 4,411 |
| 1860 | 1,296 |
| 1870 | 1,533 |
| 1880 | 1,828 |
| 1890 | 1,930 |
| 1900 | 3,186 |
| 1910 | 4,808 |
| 1920 | 8,854 |
| 1930 | 24,941 |
| 1940 | 33,776 |
| 1950 | 32,402 |
| 1960 | 32,382 |
| 1970 | 38,031 |
| 1980 | 41,301 |
| 1990 | 50,110 |
| 2000 | 61,046 (previously 63,589 before border dispute with Hartford) |
| 2004 | 64,225 |
| 2009 | 64,939 (estimate by Town Hall) |
As of the census2 of 2004, there are 64,225 people and 25,171 households residing in the town. The population density is 1,117.0/km² (2,892.6/mi²). There are 25,332 housing units at an average density of 445.0/km² (1,152.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the town is 65.96% White, 4.78% African American, 0.12% Native American, 4.80% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 2.61% from other races, and 1.66% from two or more races. 6.27% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 54,576 households out of which 29.8% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.9% are married couples living together, 9.3% have a female householder with no husband present, and 35.2% are non-families. 29.6% of all households are made up of individuals and 14.4% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.39 and the average family size is 3.00.
In the town the population is spread out with 22.1% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 22.9% from 45 to 64, and 19.5% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 40 years. For every 100 females there are 85.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 80.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town is $66,843. The per capita income for the town is $33,468. 4.5% of the population and 2.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 4.4% of those under the age of 18 and 5.1% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
Notable people
- Manute Bol, tallest player to ever play in the NBA.
- John Franklin Enders, Nobel Laureate 1954 for Medicine
- Wavy Gravy, Famous Peace Activist and Official Clown of the Grateful Dead. Graduate of Hall High School.
- Charlie Kaufman, author of Being John Malkovich, Adaptation, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, among others.
- Brad Mehldau, Jazz pianist. Graduate of Hall High School.
- Edward Williams Morley, Scientist
- Brian Rosenworcel, drummer for the band Guster.
- William Thompson Sedgwick, MIT Professor of Public Health
- Jimmy Shea, gold medalist in the 2002 Winter Olympics.
- Roger Wolcott Sperry, Neurobiologist and Nobel Laureate 1981 for Medicine
- Noah Webster, American lexicographer, textbook author, Bible translator, spelling reformer, writer, and editor.
- John O'Hurley, Actor.
- Katharine Hepburn, Actress.
Retail
West Hartford is one of the main retail centers of the Greater Hartford. The community is home to West Hartford Center which features 160+ shops, restaurants and businesses which all have storefronts making the center resemble a New England Village. In addition to the center retail areas include the Elmwood section of West Hartford, Park Road, Bishops Corner, Corbins Corner which is across from the Westfarms Mall and finally Westfarms Mall which is in West Hartford and Farmington.
