Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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A+
Health Top gradeHealthiest county in Connecticut
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A
Income Above averageWealthiest county in Connecticut
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A+
Education Top gradeBest educated county in Connecticut
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Western Connecticut Planning Region | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 563,812 | 3,347,044 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 870.4 | 603.7 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.52% | -0.35% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.0 | 42.1 | 37.3 |
| Households | 209,635 | 1,316,506 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Western Connecticut Planning Region declined by 1.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 563,812 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Western Connecticut Planning Region is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 23.9% of residents. That is 1.6 points above Connecticut as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 107,508 19.1% -1.1 pts
- Millennials 29–44 110,179 19.5% -0.9 pts
- Gen X 45–60 134,768 23.9% +1.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 99,835 17.7% -0.9 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Connecticut, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 51.2% of the people living in Western Connecticut Planning Region and men 48.8%.
- Women 51.2% Connecticut 51.0%
- Men 48.8% Connecticut 49.0%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Western Connecticut Planning Region
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Western Connecticut Planning Region has a the economy index of A, which means it is very prosperous.
| Metric | Western Connecticut Planning Region | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $132,153 | $97,098 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 3.79% | 3.67% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 5.1% | 5.5% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Western Connecticut Planning Region is about 36% higher than in Connecticut.
Housing
| Metric | Western Connecticut Planning Region | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $678,908 | $281,244 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $2,108 | $1,481 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.4% | 67.4% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Western Connecticut Planning Region is about 26.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $2,108 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Western Connecticut Planning Region spend about 46 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 192 hours, about 8.0 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Western Connecticut Planning Region | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 23.0 | 22.1 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 46.0 | 44.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 192 | 184 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $5,948 | $5,704 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 21.7% | 16.2% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 14,255 | 10,657 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,144 | 1,748 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Connecticut:
Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region (20.6 min), South Central Connecticut Planning Region (20.9 min), Capitol Planning Region (21.4 min).
Slowest:
Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region (26.0 min), Greater Bridgeport Planning Region (23.9 min), Naugatuck Valley Planning Region (23.5 min).
The average commute time in Western Connecticut Planning Region is 23 minutes, longer than the 22 minutes in Connecticut.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Western Connecticut Planning Region has a education index of A+, which means it is exceptionally educated.
| Metric | Western Connecticut Planning Region | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 51.6% | 38.6% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.66 | 2.47 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Connecticut:
Western Connecticut Planning Region (0.4), Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region (0.4), Capitol Planning Region (0.3).
Lowest:
Northeastern Connecticut Planning Region (0.3), Naugatuck Valley Planning Region (0.3), Southeastern Connecticut Planning Region (0.3).
Health
Western Connecticut Planning Region has a health index of A+, which means it is exceptionally healthy.
| Metric | Western Connecticut Planning Region | Connecticut Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 82.7 | 80.1 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 9.2% | 12.0% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 10.2% | 15.2% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Connecticut:
Western Connecticut Planning Region (0.8), Lower Connecticut River Valley Planning Region (0.8), Northwest Hills Planning Region (0.8).
Lowest:
Naugatuck Valley Planning Region (0.8), South Central Connecticut Planning Region (0.8), Capitol Planning Region (0.8).
Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT Compared With Nearby Counties
Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT is the 3rd largest of the 6 counties compared here, 563,812 residents against a local median of 439,566. The measure that sets Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT apart most is median home price: $678,908, 75% above the local median of $388,234.
Commute tells the same story from another angle: 23.0 min against a local median of 30.6 min, 25% below it. The one measure here that carries a verdict is commute, and at 25% below the local median it puts Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT at the better end of the local range. The counties themselves spread $360,758 on median home price, so Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT has the highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Western Connecticut Planning Region, CT | 563,812 | $132,153 #2/6 | $678,908 #1/6 | 23.0 min #1/6 |
| Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, CT | 308,890 | $90,469 | $283,536 | 23.9 min |
| Westchester County, NY | 998,212 | $119,541 | $482,100 | 30.6 min |
| Putnam County, NY | 98,107 | $126,338 | $388,234 | 33.9 min |
| Naugatuck Valley Planning Region, CT | 439,566 | $87,330 | $244,999 | 23.5 min |
| Nassau County, NY | 1,389,398 | $146,499 | $605,757 | 31.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut.
How many people live in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut?
About 563,812 people live in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut, in 209,635 households of 2.7 people on average. The median age is 43.0, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 6 years.
Is Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut has 870 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 10 times the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut?
The median home costs 5.1 times the median household income ($678,908 against $132,153), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $2,108 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut have a college degree?
51.6% of adults in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 5 in 10), well above the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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