Bloomfield, Connecticut

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

Bloomfield, Connecticut
Town
Capt. Oliver Filley House
Seal
Location within Hartford County, Connecticut
Coordinates: 41°51′N 72°44′W
Country United States
U.S. state Connecticut
CountyHartford
Metropolitan areaHartford
Settled1660
IncorporatedMay 28, 1835
CommunitiesBloomfield
Blue Hills
Cottage Grove
North Bloomfield
Government
 • TypeCouncil-manager
 • Town managerRobert E. Smith
 • Town councilSuzette DeBeatham-Brown, Mayor
Rickford R. Kirton, Deputy Mayor
Patrick DeLorenzo
Kevin Gough
David M. Mann
Danielle C. Wong
Stephanie Calhoun
Joseph Merritt
Francis Politis
Area
 • Total26.3 sq mi (68.0 km2)
 • Land26.1 sq mi (67.6 km2)
 • Water0.2 sq mi (0.4 km2)
Elevation
138 ft (42 m)
Population
 (2010)
 • Total20,486
 • Density778.9/sq mi (300.7/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code
06002
Area code(s)860
FIPS code09-05910
GNIS feature ID0213392
Highways
Websitewww.bloomfieldct.org

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 by the Connecticut General Assembly on May 28, 1835.[2] 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 remaining 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
CensusPop.%±
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[3]1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census[4]
See also: List of Connecticut locations by per capita income

As of the census[5] of 2010, there were 20,486 people, 8,554 households, and 5,343 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 35.7% White, 57.5% African American, 0.03% Native American, 1.9% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 1.70% from other races, and 3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5.6% of the population.

There were 8,554 households, out of which 19.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.8% were married couples living together, 16.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 31.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.32 and the average family size was 2.94.

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 47.9 years. For every 122 females there were 100 males. For every 130 females age 18 and over, there were 100 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $73,519, and the median income for a family was $84,735.

As of the census[5] of 2000. Males had a median income of $42,860 versus $36,778 for females. The per capita income for the town was $28,843.

U.S. Census Bureau, 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, About 5.8% of families and 7.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.2% of those under age 18 and 6.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government & Politics
Bloomfield town vote
by party in presidential elections[6]
Year Democratic Republican Third Parties
2016 82.80% 9,637 14.46% 1,683 2.74% 319
2012 83.41% 9,921 16.18% 1,925 0.41% 49
2008 84.96% 10,384 14.55% 1,778 0.49% 60
2004 76.58% 8,156 21.94% 2,337 1.47% 157
2000 78.20% 7,907 18.29% 1,849 3.51% 355
1996 74.15% 6,930 19.26% 1,800 6.59% 616
1992 65.40% 6,914 22.14% 2,341 12.46% 1,317
1988 65.36% 6,648 33.53% 3,410 1.11% 113
1984 57.56% 5,803 42.07% 4,241 0.37% 37
1980 51.99% 5,119 32.59% 3,209 15.42% 1,518
1976 55.73% 5,511 43.95% 4,346 0.32% 32
1972 52.83% 5,212 46.48% 4,585 0.69% 68
1968 60.17% 5,246 36.56% 3,187 3.27% 285
1964 70.59% 5,318 29.41% 2,216 0.00% 0
1960 54.64% 3,777 45.36% 3,136 0.00% 0
1956 37.45% 1,851 62.55% 3,091 0.00% 0
Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 29, 2019[7]
Party Active voters Inactive voters Total voters Percentage
Democratic 9,151 354 9,505 60.11%
Republican 1,381 68 1,449 9.16%
Unaffiliated 4,390 281 4,671 29.54%
Minor parties 175 13 188 1.19%
Total 15,097 716 15,813 100%

Economy

Top employers

According to Bloomfield's 2019 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report,[8]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 also has:

PK3 - K The Wintonbury Early Childhood Magnet School

K-2 Laurel Elementary

3-4 Metacomet Elementary

5-6 Carmen Arace Intermediate

7-8 Carmen Arace Middle School

Notable people

On the National Register of Historic Places
  • Cigna Headquarters
  • Francis Gillette House
  • Old Farm Schoolhouse
  • Southwest School District

Places of interest
  • The New England Muscle Bicycle Museum, with 120 bicycles from the 1960s and 1970s, is open by appointment
  • The First Cathedral, the largest non-denominational church in New England
gollark: So you'll just make houses more expensive even for people who don't care much, and/or increase everyone's tax burden.
gollark: Well, ultimately, someone has to pay for them?
gollark: i.e. it does not "only affect you", like smile dog said.
gollark: That affects other people, so I think most libertarians would say something should be done about that.
gollark: I mean, there was this person who said that "any technology which takes away jobs from humans should be banned", and I don't see how you would reasonably end up thinking that.

References
  1. "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Bloomfield town, Hartford County, Connecticut". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved November 26, 2012.
  2. The Connecticut Magazine: An Illustrated Monthly. Connecticut Magazine Company. 1903. p. 331.
  3. "Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Incorporated Places: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2014". Archived from the original on 2015-05-23. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  4. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
  5. "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  6. https://authoring.ct.gov//SOTS/Election-Services/Statement-Of-Vote-PDFs/General-Elections-Statement-of-Vote-1922
  7. "Registration and Party Enrollment Statistics as of October 29, 2019" (PDF). Connecticut Secretary of State. Retrieved 2020-02-17.
  8. "Town of Bloomfield, Connecticut Comprehensive Annual Financial Report for the Fiscal Year Ended June 30, 2019" (PDF). Town of Bloomfield. Retrieved July 19, 2020.
  9. "WEEKLY LIST OF ACTIONS TAKEN ON PROPERTIES". National Park Service. Retrieved 20 September 2010.
  10. "Filley House". Wintonbury Historical Society, Inc. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
  11. National Register of Historic Places listings in Hartford County, Connecticut
  12. "Francis Gillette House". bloomfieldct.org. Archived from the original on 27 January 2009. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
  13. "Old Farm Schoolhouse". bloomfieldct.org. Archived from the original on 18 September 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
  14. "SW District School". Wintonbury Historical Society, Inc. Retrieved 19 September 2010.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.