Bloomfield, Connecticut

Bloomfield
Town

Capt. Oliver Filley House

Seal

Location within Hartford County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°51′N 72°44′W / 41.850°N 72.733°W / 41.850; -72.733Coordinates: 41°51′N 72°44′W / 41.850°N 72.733°W / 41.850; -72.733
Country United States
State Connecticut
NECTA Hartford
Region Capitol Region
Incorporated 1835
Government
 • Type Council-manager
 • Town manager Philip Schenck
 • Town council Sydney T. Schulman (D), Mayor
Joan A. Gamble (D), Deputy Mayor
Wayne Hypolite (D)
Derrick Seldon (D)
Patrick DeLorenzo (R)
Leon Rivers (D)
Joel Neuwirth (R)
Joseph Merritt (R)
Joe Washington (D)
Area
 • Total 26.3 sq mi (68.0 km2)
 • Land 26.1 sq mi (67.6 km2)
 • Water 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km2)
Elevation 138 ft (42 m)
Population (2010)
 • Total 20,486
 • Density 780/sq mi (300/km2)
Time zone EST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code 06002
Area code(s) 860
FIPS code 09-05910
GNIS feature ID 0213392
Website www.bloomfieldct.org

Bloomfield is a town in Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 20,486 at the 2010 census.[1]

History

Originally land of the Poquonocks, the area was first settled in 1660 as part of Windsor, organized as the Parish of Wintonbury in 1736. Wintonbury comes from three names from neighboring towns Windsor, Farmington , and Simsbury. It was finally incorporated as the town of Bloomfield in May of 1835. Initially, the town's local economy was agriculturally based, mostly in shade tobacco, remaining as such until it developed as a postwar suburb of Hartford starting in the 1950s. Today, Bloomfield's local character varies. While the town's southern and eastern fringes are more densely populated and developed, the northern and western sections maintain a more rural feel with meadows, woods, and some reamining farmland.

Geography

Tariffville Gorge

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 26.3 square miles (68.0 km2), of which 26.1 square miles (67.6 km2) is land and 0.15 square miles (0.4 km2), or 0.63%, is water.[1]

Bloomfield is bordered by Windsor to the northeast, East Granby to the north, Simsbury and Avon to the west, and West Hartford and Hartford to the south.

The northern border of Bloomfield is formed by the Farmington River. The west side of the town is flanked by Talcott Mountain, part of the Metacomet Ridge, a mountainous trap rock ridgeline that stretches from Long Island Sound to nearly the Vermont border. Notable features of the Metacomet Ridge in Bloomfield include Penwood State Park and the Tariffville Gorge of the Farmington River, on the borders of East Granby, Simsbury, and Bloomfield. The 51-mile (82 km) Metacomet Trail traverses the ridge.

Transportation

The major east-west throughway in Bloomfield is Route 218, which starts at the Simsbury Road/Hall Boulevard split at the West Hartford line and inches north toward Cottage Grove Road before heading eastbound. Bloomfield also has two major north-south highways: Blue Hills Avenue (Route 187) and Bloomfield/Tunxis Avenues (Route 189). These highways merge when approaching the Windsor line but before returning to Bloomfield.

Eleven bus routes in Connecticut Transit's Hartford Division serve Bloomfield: 36, 46, 50, 52, 54, 56, 72, 74, 76, 92, and 153.

Demographics

Historical population
Census Pop. %±
18501,412—
18601,401−0.8%
18701,4735.1%
18801,346−8.6%
18901,308−2.8%
19001,51315.7%
19101,82120.4%
19202,39431.5%
19303,24735.6%
19404,30932.7%
19505,74633.3%
196013,613136.9%
197018,30134.4%
198018,6081.7%
199019,4834.7%
200019,5870.5%
201020,4864.6%
Est. 201420,819[2]1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[3]

As of the census[4] of 2000, there were 19,587 people, 7,902 households, and 5,152 families residing in the town. The population density was 753.0 people per square mile (290.8/km²). There were 8,195 housing units at an average density of 315.0 per square mile (121.6/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 28.00% White, 66.06% African American, 0.21% Native American, 1.29% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.60% from other races, and 2.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3.67% of the population.

There were 7,902 households out of which 24.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 27.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.8% were non-families. 30.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.41 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the town the population was spread out with 21.4% under the age of 18, 5.8% from 18 to 24, 24.5% from 25 to 44, 26.6% from 45 to 64, and 21.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 81.2 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 75.5 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $53,812, and the median income for a family was $64,892. Males had a median income of $42,860 versus $36,778 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,843. About 5.1% of families and 17.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 10.2% of those under age 18 and 9.4% of those age 65 or over.

Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 27, 2009[5]
Party Active voters Inactive voters Total voters Percentage
  Democratic 8,740 403 9,143 58.28%
  Republican 1,597 100 1,697 10.82%
  Unaffiliated 4,466 363 4,829 30.78%
  Minor parties 18 2 20 0.12%
Total 14,821 868 15,689 100%

Economy

Top employers

According to Bloomfield's 2011 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[6] the top employers in the city are:

# Employer # of Employees
1 Cigna 3,463
2 MetLife 2,000
3 Kaman 924
4 Town of Bloomfield 643
5 HomeGoods 572
6 Jacobs Vehicle Systems 475
7 Seabury 400
8 Duncaster 276
9 Pepperidge Farm 260
10 Coherent 220
11 SS&C Technologies 350
12 Sun Life Financial 350
13 Beacon Industries 150
14 The Home Depot 130
15 Otis Elevator Company 110

Schools

Bloomfield is home to three secondary schools: the public Bloomfield High School, the inter-district Global Experience Magnet School (serving grades 6-12), and the Metropolitan Learning Center, a CREC school serving grades 6-12.

Bloomfield has two middle school Carmen Araces and Global Experience Magnet School and three primary schools (Laurel School, Metacomet School, and the inter-district Metropolitan Learning Center). Carmen Arace serves grade 5-8, while J.P. Vincent, Metacomet, and Laurel elementary schools serve grades K-4.

Notable people

On the National Register of Historic Places

Places of interest

References

  1. 1 2 "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Bloomfield town, Hartford County, Connecticut". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  4. ↑ "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  5. ↑ "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 27, 2009" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Retrieved 2010-10-26.
  6. ↑ Town of Bloomfield CAFR
  7. ↑ "WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES". National Park Service. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  8. ↑ "Filley House". Wintonbury Historical Society, Inc. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
  9. ↑ National Register of Historic Places listings in Hartford County, Connecticut
  10. ↑ "Francis Gillette House". bloomfieldct.org. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
  11. ↑ "Old Farm Schoolhouse". bloomfieldct.org. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
  12. ↑ "SW District School". Wintonbury Historical Society, Inc. Retrieved 19 September 2010.

External links

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