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"Litchfield County" and "Greater Torrington" redirect here. For the ship, see USS Litchfield County (LST-901). For the town in Devon, England, see Great Torrington.

Litchfield County
County of Connecticut
County of Litchfield
Mohawk Mountain Ski Area in Cornwall.
Map of Connecticut highlighting Litchfield County
Location within the U.S. state of Connecticut
Map of the United States highlighting Connecticut
Connecticut's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°47′N 73°14′W / 41.79°N 73.24°W / 41.79; -73.24
Country United States
State Connecticut
Founded1751
Seatnone (since 1960)
Litchfield (before 1960)
Largest cityTorrington
Area
 • Total945 sq mi (2,450 km2)
 • Land921 sq mi (2,390 km2)
 • Water24 sq mi (60 km2)  2.5%%
Population (2010)
 • Total189,927
 • Estimate (2019)180,333
 • Density200/sq mi (78/km2)
Time zoneUTC−5 (Eastern)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts1st, 5th
Interactive map of Litchfield County, Connecticut

Litchfield County is located in northwestern Connecticut in the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the population was 189,927.[1] The county was named after Lichfield, in England.[2] Litchfield County has the lowest population density of any county in Connecticut and is geographically the state's largest county.

Litchfield County comprises the Torrington, CT Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the New York–Newark, NY–NJ–CT–PA Combined Statistical Area.

As is the case with the other seven Connecticut counties, there is no county government and no county seat. Each town is responsible for all local services such as schools, snow removal, sewers, and fire and police departments. However, in some cases in rural areas, adjoining towns may agree to jointly provide services or even establish a joint school system.

History[edit]

Litchfield County was created on October 9, 1751, by an act of the Connecticut General Court from land belonging to Fairfield, New Haven, and Hartford counties. The act establishing the county states:

That the townships of Litchfield, Woodbury, New Milford, Harwinton, New Hartford, Barkhempstead, Hartland, Colebrook, Norfolk, Canaan, Salisbury, Kent, Sharon, Cornwall, Goshen, Torrington, and Winchester, lying in the northwesterly part of this Colony, shall be and remain one entire county, and be called the County of Litchfield, and shall have and exercise the same powers, priviledges [sic] and authorities, and be subject to the same regulations, as the other counties in this Colony by law have and are subject unto. The bounds of which county shall extend north to the Colony line, and west to the Colony line till it meets with the township of New Fairfield, and to include the towns abovementioned.[3][4]

Between 1780 and 1807, several new towns were created at the boundaries between Litchfield County and other counties in Connecticut. The town of Watertown was established in 1780 from Waterbury and was placed under Litchfield County jurisdiction. The establishment of the town of Brookfield from part of New Milford in 1788 resulted in Litchfield County losing territory to Fairfield County. In 1796, the town of Hartland was transferred to Hartford County. In 1798, the town of Oxford was established from part of Southbury causing Litchfield County to lose territory to New Haven County. In 1807, the town of Southbury was transferred to New Haven County. The final boundary change occurred on October 8, 1807, when the town of Middlebury was established from part of Woodbury.[5]

In 1862, during the Civil War, Litchfield County raised the 2nd Connecticut Regiment of Volunteers Heavy Artillery. This regiment, originally the 19th Connecticut Volunteer Infantry, served in the defense of Washington, D.C. from September 1862 to March 1864, at which time it was transferred to the Army of the Potomac. On June 1, 1864, the 2nd Connecticut Heavy Artillery fought as infantry (as it continued to do through the war) in the Battle of Cold Harbor, experiencing the heaviest proportionate losses of any Connecticut regiment in the Civil War. The regiment remained active to the end of the war, and its final mustering out September 5, 1865.[6]

Geography[edit]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 945 square miles (2,450 km2), of which 921 square miles (2,390 km2) is land and 24 square miles (62 km2) (2.5%) is water.[7] It is the largest county in Connecticut by area. Litchfield County is roughly contiguous with the portion of the Appalachian Mountains range known as the Berkshire Mountains (sometimes locally, this area is called the Litchfield Hills).

Adjacent counties[edit]

  • Berkshire County, Massachusetts (north)
  • Hampden County, Massachusetts (northeast)
  • Hartford County (east)
  • New Haven County (southeast)
  • Fairfield County (south)
  • Dutchess County, New York (west)

Demographics[edit]

Historical population
CensusPop.%±
179038,635—
180041,2146.7%
181041,3750.4%
182041,267−0.3%
183042,8583.9%
184040,448−5.6%
185045,25311.9%
186047,3184.6%
187048,7273.0%
188052,0446.8%
189053,5422.9%
190063,67218.9%
191070,26010.3%
192076,2628.5%
193082,5568.3%
194087,0415.4%
195098,87213.6%
1960119,85621.2%
1970144,09120.2%
1980156,7698.8%
1990174,09211.1%
2000182,1934.7%
2010189,9274.2%
2019 (est.)180,333[8]−5.1%
U.S. Decennial Census[9]
1790-1960[10] 1900-1990[11]
1990-2000[12] 2010-2018[1]

2000 census[edit]

As of the census[13] of 2000, there were 182,193 people, 71,551 households, and 49,584 families residing in the county. The population density was 198 people per square mile (76/km2). There were 79,267 housing units at an average density of 86 per square mile (33/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.77% White, 1.10% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 1.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.09% from two or more races. 2.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 20.8% were of Italian, 14.8% Irish, 10.6% English, 9.2% German and 6.3% French ancestry. 92.3% spoke English, 2.1% Spanish, 1.6% Italian and 1.2% French as their first language.

There were 71,551 households, out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 57.20% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 25.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.03.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.60% under the age of 18, 5.70% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 25.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $56,273, and the median income for a family was $66,445 (these figures had risen to $67,591 and $81,752 respectively as of a 2007 estimate).[14] Males had a median income of $45,586 versus $31,870 for females. The per capita income for the county was $28,408. About 2.70% of families and 4.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 4.30% of those under age 18 and 5.40% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census[edit]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 189,927 people, 76,640 households, and 51,530 families residing in the county.[15] The population density was 206.3 inhabitants per square mile (79.7/km2). There were 87,550 housing units at an average density of 95.1 per square mile (36.7/km2).[16] The racial makeup of the county was 93.9% white, 1.5% Asian, 1.3% black or African American, 0.2% American Indian, 1.4% from other races, and 1.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 4.5% of the population.[15] In terms of ancestry, 23.0% were Italian, 21.3% were Irish, 14.8% were English, 14.5% were German, 8.3% were Polish, and 3.3% were American.[17]

Of the 76,640 households, 29.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 9.4% had a female householder with no husband present, 32.8% were non-families, and 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 2.97. The median age was 44.4 years.[15]

The median income for a household in the county was $69,639 and the median income for a family was $84,890. Males had a median income of $57,362 versus $42,729 for females. The per capita income for the county was $35,848. About 3.6% of families and 5.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.9% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.[18]

Demographic breakdown by town[edit]

Income[edit]

See also: List of Connecticut locations by per capita income

Data is from the 2010 United States Census and the 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.[19][20]

RankTownPer capita
income		Median
household
income		Median
family
income		PopulationNumber of
households
1RoxburyTown$65,236$97,768$119,0912,262936
2BridgewaterTown$58,172$86,607$105,5681,727735
3WashingtonTown$51,907$67,417$84,8333,5781,512
4KentTown$51,772$68,481$82,2602,9791,246
5CornwallTown$50,901$80,179$97,5001,420628
6WarrenTown$49,142$87,857$94,5831,461601
7SalisburyTown$47,361$63,587$76,7193,7411,693
8WoodburyTown$44,060$80,595$100,5009,9754,214
9NorfolkTown$43,866$85,526$98,0981,709720
10SharonTown$43,317$70,104$74,3132,7821,250
11New HartfordTown$41,709$80,718$90,1726,9702,632
12LitchfieldTown$41,649$78,750$100,8338,4663,459
13LitchfieldBorough$40,635$68,125$81,8751,258548
14BethlehemTown$39,704$82,899$86,7923,6071,411
15GoshenTown$39,562$76,705$86,1142,9761,192
16ColebrookTown$39,324$72,000$85,8331,485589
17New MilfordTown$38,893$84,824$100,57428,14210,618
18HarwintonTown$37,902$85,253$92,0835,6422,170
19CanaanTown$37,283$54,219$77,5001,234583
20MorrisTown$36,682$81,583$97,3812,388958
21BarkhamstedTown$34,775$87,656$107,8043,7991,452
22WatertownTown$34,158$77,771$93,19422,5148,672
23ThomastonTown$31,652$63,990$77,8427,8873,108
24PlymouthTown$30,081$71,630$82,43812,2434,803
25WinchesterTown$27,264$57,958$68,62211,2424,815
26North CanaanTown$26,700$46,417$52,6043,3151,400
27TorringtonCity$25,948$48,409$64,47636,38315,243
28WinstedCity$25,291$61,404$68,4067,7123,346
29BantamBorough$24,284$42,256$54,063759372

Race[edit]

Data is from the 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, "Race alone or in combination with one or more other races."[21]

RankTownPopulationWhiteBlackAsianAmerican
Indian		OtherHispanic
1TorringtonCity36,38093.6%3.5%2.9%1.1%1.8%6.8%
2New MilfordTown28,12292.6%3.9%2.7%0.6%1.8%5.2%
3WatertownTown22,50296.1%1.6%2.2%0.6%0.9%2.5%
4PlymouthTown12,21898.1%1.1%0.0%1.4%1.0%3.6%
5WinchesterTown11,21695.3%1.3%1.4%0.8%2.6%9.9%
6WoodburyTown9,92897.9%0.6%1.8%0.7%0.3%4.0%
7LitchfieldTown8,48497.6%1.5%1.2%0.2%0.7%3.1%
8ThomastonTown7,86298.0%1.2%0.9%1.0%0.7%1.4%
9WinstedCity7,40293.3%1.5%1.9%1.3%3.7%13.2%
10New HartfordTown6,90196.0%0.6%3.9%0.0%0.0%0.7%
11HarwintonTown5,61897.7%0.0%2.3%0.5%0.0%0.0%
12BarkhamstedTown3,78399.8%0.4%0.2%0.0%0.0%0.3%
13SalisburyTown3,78395.3%2.6%3.8%1.3%2.0%2.2%
14BethlehemTown3,59699.4%0.1%0.8%0.2%0.0%0.9%
15WashingtonTown3,58694.0%2.9%0.9%0.2%3.0%9.6%
16North CanaanTown3,32996.3%1.4%2.3%0.0%0.0%2.2%
17KentTown2,98298.5%0.3%0.8%0.7%0.0%0.3%
18GoshenTown2,95799.1%0.1%0.7%0.4%0.2%5.5%
19SharonTown2,80492.0%0.4%1.4%0.3%6.8%8.5%
20MorrisTown2,41199.0%1.0%0.0%0.0%0.0%0.4%
21RoxburyTown2,31599.0%0.0%0.3%1.3%0.3%5.3%
22BridgewaterTown1,79096.6%1.7%1.3%0.3%1.9%6.2%
23NorfolkTown1,57497.2%0.7%1.5%2.1%0.5%2.2%
24WarrenTown1,53198.5%0.0%0.9%0.3%1.0%3.0%
25CornwallTown1,46999.0%0.5%1.0%0.0%0.8%2.2%
26LitchfieldBorough1,42098.6%0.0%1.9%0.0%0.4%4.2%
27ColebrookTown1,39599.4%0.5%0.0%0.8%0.0%0.6%
28CanaanTown1,18397.5%1.6%0.2%0.2%1.0%2.8%
29BantamBorough73196.0%3.6%1.5%0.3%2.2%4.4%

Politics[edit]

Litchfield County has voted for Republican presidential candidates more often than the rest of the state. In 2004 Bush won 51% to Kerry's 46%, making Litchfield the only county in southern New England that Bush carried. Litchfield was one of two Connecticut counties won by George H. W. Bush in 1992.[22] But in 2008, no county in Connecticut, including Litchfield, was won by Republican candidate John McCain. The county also went for the Democratic presidential candidate in 1964, 1996, and 2000. In 2012 it was the only county won by Mitt Romney in the state.[23] In 2016, Donald Trump won the county.[24] Trump won the county again in 2020.

Presidential elections results
Litchfield County vote
by party in presidential elections[25]
YearGOPDEMOthers
202051.7% 55,60146.7% 50,1641.7% 1,779
201654.4% 53,05140.8% 39,7754.7% 4,616
201251.1% 47,20147.5% 43,8561.5% 1,370
200846.7% 46,17351.6% 51,0411.8% 1,752
200451.9% 50,16046.2% 44,6471.9% 1,861
200044.9% 39,17247.9% 41,8067.3% 6,360
199638.9% 31,64545.9% 37,37515.2% 12,378
199237.0% 34,49236.1% 33,68626.9% 25,035
198856.0% 44,63742.9% 34,2271.1% 893
198466.2% 52,58333.5% 26,5640.3% 269
198050.7% 38,72535.0% 26,70514.3% 10,924
197655.3% 40,70544.1% 32,4190.6% 459
197260.2% 43,47838.7% 27,9291.1% 812
196848.8% 31,42945.6% 29,3405.6% 3,611
196434.1% 20,83465.8% 40,1720.1% 62
196053.9% 34,04346.1% 29,0620.0% 3
195669.9% 40,02930.1% 17,2260.0% 0
195263.8% 35,73536.0% 20,1630.2% 107
194858.0% 26,84840.2% 18,6281.8% 823
194455.2% 24,01944.2% 19,2120.6% 248
194054.0% 22,95645.9% 19,5370.1% 49
193650.7% 18,85047.0% 17,4682.4% 875
193256.9% 18,68241.1% 13,4692.0% 660
192863.7% 19,15735.8% 10,7660.5% 138
192461.4% 15,49926.3% 6,64512.4% 3,120
192065.9% 14,40531.8% 6,9382.3% 504
191653.0% 7,28845.0% 6,1832.0% 280
191242.0% 5,51835.5% 4,66122.5% 2,959
190866.2% 8,97830.4% 4,1283.4% 454
190464.6% 8,79733.0% 4,5002.4% 332
190064.1% 8,53434.2% 4,5541.6% 218
189661.3% 10,08135.1% 5,7713.6% 583
189247.2% 7,71648.9% 7,9983.9% 633
188848.6% 7,72647.7% 7,5823.8% 603
188450.8% 7,40545.3% 6,6013.9% 572

Transportation[edit]

Litchfield is served by the Northwestern Connecticut Transit District.[26][27]

Communities[edit]

Map of Litchfield County, Connecticut showing cities, boroughs, towns, CDPs, and Indian Reservations
Map highlighting the Greater Torrington Micropolitan Area

Boroughs are incorporated portions of one or more towns with separate borough councils, zoning boards, and borough officials. Villages are named localities, but have no separate corporate existence from the towns they are in.

City[edit]

  • Torrington

Towns[edit]

  • Barkhamsted
    • Pleasant Valley
    • Riverton
  • Bethlehem
    • Bethlehem Village
  • Bridgewater
  • Canaan
    • Falls Village
  • Colebrook
  • Cornwall
    • Cornwall
    • Cornwall Bridge
    • West Cornwall
  • Goshen
    • West Goshen
  • Harwinton
    • Northwest Harwinton
  • Kent
    • Flanders
    • South Kent
  • Litchfield
    • Bantam
    • East Litchfield
    • Northfield
  • Morris
  • New Hartford
    • New Hartford Center
    • Pine Meadow
  • New Milford
    • Chimney Point
    • Erickson Corner
    • Gaylordsville
    • New Milford
  • Norfolk
  • North Canaan
  • Plymouth
    • East Plymouth
    • Terryville
  • Roxbury
  • Salisbury
    • Lakeville
    • Lime Rock
  • Sharon
    • Sharon
    • Sharon Valley
  • Thomaston
  • Warren
  • Washington
    • New Preston
  • Watertown
    • Oakville
  • Winchester
    • Winsted
  • Woodbury
    • Hotchkissville
    • Neufa
    • Woodbury Center

Telephone area codes[edit]

All areas of the county are in area code 860 except for the towns of Woodbury, Bethlehem and a small part of Roxbury, which are in the area code 203/area code 475 overlay. The geographical Woodbury Telephone Exchange (of the now defunct Woodbury Telephone Company) serves the two towns as well as the town of Southbury, which is in New Haven County and the small part of Roxbury. Ten digit dialing took effect for both area codes on November 14, 2009 as a result of the 203/475 overlay and the planned but not implemented 860/959 overlay.

Attractions[edit]

  • Abbey of Regina Laudis
  • Appalachian Trail in Connecticut
  • Bash Bish Falls State Park - nearby in Massachusetts
  • Kent Falls State Park
  • Litchfield Historic District
  • Mohawk Mountain Ski Area
  • West Cornwall Covered Bridge

See also[edit]

  • Kent Hollow, Connecticut
  • Litchfield Hills
  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Litchfield County, Connecticut
  • Torrington Titans Litchfield County's summer collegiate baseball team who play at Fuessenich Park in downtown Torrington.
  • Wildcat Hollow, Connecticut

References[edit]

Media related to Litchfield County, Connecticut at Wikimedia Commons

  1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  2. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 187.
  3. ^ "CCR: Volume 10, Page 56". Retrieved June 17, 2008.[dead link]
  4. ^ "The public records of the colony of Connecticut [1636-1776] ... transcribed and published, (in accordance with a resolution of the general assembly) ..., vol.10 (May 1751-Feb.1757), Page 56. HathiTrust Digital Library". Retrieved March 2, 2020.
  5. ^ Newberry Library -- Connecticut Atlas of Historical County Boundaries Archived 2013-11-10 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ 2d Connecticut Volunteer Heavy Artillery Regiment - Unit History. The2dconn.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-15.
  7. ^ "US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
  8. ^ "Population and Housing Unit Estimates". Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  9. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  10. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  11. ^ "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  12. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  13. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  14. ^ Bureau, U.S. Census. "American FactFinder - Community Facts". factfinder.census.gov. Archived from the original on February 11, 2020. Retrieved June 29, 2018.
  15. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  16. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  17. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  18. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 13, 2020. Retrieved January 12, 2016.
  19. ^ "SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  20. ^ "Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 21, 2019. Retrieved November 25, 2012.
  21. ^ "ACS DEMOGRAPHIC AND HOUSING ESTIMATES 2007-2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". U.S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 8, 2013.
  22. ^ "David Leip's election Atlas". uselectionatlas.org.
  23. ^ "David Leip's election Atlas". uselectionatlas.org.
  24. ^ "CT election autopsy: Trump expands map". November 10, 2016.
  25. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved May 26, 2017.
  26. ^ "Home - Northwestern CT Transit District, Torrington CT". Northwestern CT Transit District, Torrington CT.
  27. ^ "Getting on board" (PDF). www.ct.gov. Retrieved May 15, 2019.

Coordinates: 41°47′N 73°14′W / 41.79°N 73.24°W / 41.79; -73.24