2014

A snapshot of our communities

Tolland

Hebron

MarlborougH

Suffield

ellingTon

andover

CanTon

newingTon

roCky Hill

weST HarTford

enfield

ManCHeSTer

farMingTon

glaSTonbury

granby

SiMSbury

SoMerS

STafford

avon bolTon

eaST granby

eaST windSor

inner SuburbHarTford

blooMfield

vernonwindSor

windSor loCkS

eaST HarTford

weTHerSfield

HarTford

overview 1

defining our region 2

growing suburban poverty 6

increasing globalization 7

Stubborn education gaps 8

What do we mean by Metro Hartford?

The Hartford region consists of 750,000 people living in the city of Hartford, its surrounding inner-ring suburbs, and outer-ring and rural towns that have historical, economic or social ties with the city. we refer to Metro Hartford and greater Hartford interchangeably.

* Inner suburbs have higher population density and poverty levels than outer suburbs. See footnotes for more detail.

1 MetroHartfordProgressPoints.org

ouTer Suburb

what is the state of our region? How will we know progress when we see it? Metro Hartford Progress Points takes a look at the forces shaping Hartford and the region today, both the connections across it and the critical education, income and opportunity gaps within it. it is a call to action for groups and individuals throughout Metro Hartford to recognize all that we share, to join forces to address our challenges and to create more vibrant and prosperous communities for all. To learn more, visit MetroHartfordProgressPoints.org.

SouTH windSor

defining our region

long-term shift from urban to suburbanfollowing world war ii, people gradually moved from the city of Hartford to the suburbs. beginning in the 1960s, most of the population growth has been farther afield in formerly rural towns beyond the inner-ring suburbs. both latino and asian populations have grown rapidly throughout the region for the last 25 years. The black population has shifted from living mostly in the city of Hartford to a majority now living in the inner suburbs. The white population has shrunk overall, with growth only in the outer suburbs.

500,000

1960 2000 20201920

400,000

300,000

200,000

100,000

0

inner Suburb

ouTer Suburb

HarTford

Most rapid growth in outer suburban areas

Population 19002010; projections 20102025. Source: State Data Center

aging population across the regionfewer young people are projected to live and work in the region while growing numbers of aging workers will reach retirement age in the next decade, particularly in the suburbs.

Projected change 20102025Source: State Data Center projections

2

30,000

20,000

10,000

-10,000

0

024 years 2554 years

55 years and over-7,300

-5,100 -6,100-8,400

-15,100

7,900 29,300 36,700

900

inner Suburb

HarTford ouTer Suburb

3Jobs draw people in and out of HartfordThe population of Hartford doubles each workday, as commuters travel from all over the region to jobs in the citywhich tend to be concentrated in highly skilled professions such as insurance and finance. 82 percent of the regions workers commute within the region.

other top destinations for commuters include:

2 | east Hartford3 | Manchester4 | windsor5 | west Hartford

windSor

ManCHeSTer

eaST HarTford

weTHerSfield

glaSTonbury

newingTon

weST HarTford

blooMfield

SiMSbury

avon

farMingTon

SouTH windSor

roCky Hill

MarlborougH

27%

27%

20%

16%

26%

23%

20%

19%

19%20%

19%

25%

17%

19%

defining our region (ConTinued)

Source: U.S. Census Bureau , 2011

83%of the 121,000 jobs in Hartford are filled by commuters

81%of all Metro Hartford

workers commute alone by car

65%of Hartford residents with

jobs are employed outside of Hartford

75%of Hartford workers who

commute outside of Hartford make less than $40k

MetroHartfordProgressPoints.org

1 in 6 students attends school in a different towneven as school enrollment has dropped throughout the regiona reflection of the larger trend of an aging populationthe number of students commuting to a school that is not in their neighborhood has increased with the growth of magnets, charters and other public school options.

9% of students MagneT/CHarTer/CHoiCe

96%87%

56%

-13%

7% of studentsPrivaTe

-15%

-2%

84% of students PubliC

-5%-7%

-17%

growth 20062011Source: State Department of Education

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2011

Those seeking more affordable housing options wont find many in the inner and outer suburbs. in turn, this tends to concentrate lower-income families in the city of Hartford and limits options for families in the suburbs.

Homeownership dramatically higher in suburbsHomeownership is one of the strongest features of a vibrant community. while homeownership rates are typically lower in cities, the gap between the percent who live in owner-occupied homes in Hartford and suburban communities is high compared to other regions.

affordable housing options concentrated in Hartford

inner Suburb ouTer SuburbHarTford

26%75% 88%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau 20082012 estimates

36%

inner Suburb ouTer SuburbHarTford

11% 6%

Source: Department of Housing, 20082012

voter turnout significantly lower in HartfordThere is a significant difference in turnout among registered voters between Hartford and its neighboring towns. lack of engagement in the electoral process makes it difficult for residents to make changes in their community.

lower crime rates in suburbs, but higher housing costs while crime in Hartford has decreased in recent years, neighboring communities and suburban areas still have higher levels of public safety than their counterparts in the city. unfortunately, low incomes and a lack of available/affordable housing mean that many cannot afford to live in lower-crime areas outside the city.

2013 eleCTion TurnouT

nuMber of ToTal CriMeS Per 100,000 reSidenTS

5,745

1,119

Source: CT Data, Department of Public Safety.

Source: Secretary of the State, November 2013 election results.

4

ouTer Suburb

ouTer Suburb

inner Suburb

2,461

inner Suburb

HarTford

HarTford

5%

28%32%

On the decline

ConstructionManufacturingfinance & insurance

Holding steady

governmentadministrative Supportretail Transportation

On the rise

Healthcare educationreal estateScientific & Technical

Source: Department of Labor, 19932013.

defining our region (ConTinued)

growing job opportunities in caring for our aging populationwhile the Hartford region is still providing large numbers of jobs, its historically strong sectors of finance, insurance and manufacturing have seen their numbers decrease over the past decades. Many of the sectors with recent growth involve service industries related to meeting the needs of an aging population in the outer suburbsspecifically, in healthcare.

Shifting top 5 job sectors over past 20 years

70% of the unemployed residents in the region live in the suburbs

3,000 people return from prison to the regionjust over half to Hartfordeach year

29% of those unemployed in the region are between the ages of 16 and 24

5

Metro Hartford employment snapshot

7,600 Hartford residents are looking for work and cannot find jobs

25,000 suburban residents are looking for work and cannot find jobs

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 20082012 estimates; Department of Labor, 2013 local area estimates.

MetroHartfordProgressPoints.org

nu

Mbe

r o

f eM

Plo

yeeS

80,000

90,000

2003 20131993

70,000

60,000

50,000

40,000

30,000

HealTHCareManufaCTuring

finanCe & inSuranCe

reTail

eduCaTion

and on par with the poorest cities in the u.S.

Poverty growing beyond the city limitsin Hartford, a high proportion of the population is living under the federal poverty line (about $23,000 for a family of four). but the sharpest increases in poverty have been outside the capital city, mostly in the inner suburbs.

50,000

1980 1990 2000 20101970

40,000

30,000

20,000

10,000

0

inner Suburb

ouTer Suburb

HarTford

growing Suburban PoverTy

Source: State Data Center, U.S. Census Bureau.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 estimates.

38%HarTford

26%25%bridgePorT

25%waTerburynew briTain 24%

42%deTroiT, MiCaMden, nJ 39%

39%flinT, Mi39%youngSTown, oH

SPringfield, Ma 33%

new Haven

Poverty rates in Hartford highest of all CT cities

PoPu

laTi

on

liv

ing

un

der

fed

era

l Po

verT

y li

ne

6

wHiTe

aSian-aMeriCan

eligible for reduCed lunCH

feMale

all STudenTS

Male

blaCk

laTino

eligible for free lunCH

SPeCial eduCaTion

ell

increasing globalization through immigrationSchools are more ethnically and culturally diverse than at any time in our history. More than 100 different languages are spoken in homes throughout the region, bringing diversity to our schools and our towns.

a great variety of languages spoken in homes across the regionbecause more foreign-born families are immigrating to the region, we have more ell (english language learner) students than ever before.

0 10 20 30 40

Hartford west Hartfordeast Hartford

newingtonrocky Hill

farmingtonwethersfield

windsor locksCreC

east windsorwindsor

South windsorglastonbury

vernon avon

Manchester Simsbury

east granby enfield

andoverellington

bloomfieldSuffield Stafford

Marlborough SomersCanton granby Hebron Tolland

PerCenT of HouSeHoldS in eaCH SCHool diSTriCT wHere More THan one language iS SPoken

Spanish vietnamese

urdu

karen

Malayalam

Chinese

Polishgujarati

Telugu

arabic

albanian korean

Serbo-Croatian

Portuguese

russian

inCreaSing globalizaTion

Source: State Department of Education.

Source: State Department of Education, 20102011.

MetroHartfordProgressPoints.org7

racial and ethnic disparities in educational attainmentwhile greater Hartford continues to enjoy a highly skilled workforce, those skills are not equitably distributed across all residents. More white residents have a bachelors degree or higher than their black and latino counterparts. in fact, one-third of all latinos in the region lack a high school diploma.

range of high school graduation rates varies greatlyHigh school graduation rates are higher on average for whites and asian-americans, but the range of results for individual schools shows that other groupsincluding low-income, special education and ell studentsfind success in at least some schools in the region.

wHiTe blaCk laTino

SoMe College

HigH SCHool degree

baCHelorS degree

leSS THan HigH

SCHool

wHiTe

aSian-aMeriCan

eligible for reduCed lunCH

feMale

all STudenTS

Male

blaCk

laTino

eligible for free lunCH

SPeCial eduCaTion

ell

25% 50% 75% 100%

42%30%

23%

25%34%

30%

26%

16% 12%7% 19%

35%

STubborn eduCaTion gaPS

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 20082012 estimates.

average graduaTion raTe range graduaTion raTe

8Source: State Department of Education, 2010-2012

3rd-grade reading scores vary widely across different groupsalthough third-grade reading scores are increasing overall, the gaps arent narrowing much when viewed by race/ethnicity, income and other dimensions.

ell = english language learners

f/r lunch = Students receiving free or reduced cost lunch

STubborn eduCaTion gaPS (ConTinued)

Source: State Department of Education, 20062013.

300

250

200

1502006 2013

noT ell

ell

f/r MealS

full PriCe

300

250

200

1502006 2013

feMale

300

250

200

1502006 2013

aSian

blaCklaTino

wHiTe

300

250

200

1502006 2013

SPeCial ed

noT SPeCial

ed

300

250

200

1502006 2013

9 MetroHartfordProgressPoints.org

goal

goal

goal

235

235

235

goal 235

goal 235

early childhood education provides the foundation for school success.

4 in 5 children in the region have preschool experience prior to kindergarten. Many who do attend pre-k programs do so regionally, with 2 in 5 kids attending school-based programs outside their home district.

Male

10

where do we go from here?increased job opportunities, a growing population, high-quality, affordable housing, educated workers, engaged citizens and cultural diversity are just a few of the factors that make a community a place where all kinds of people want to live, work and raise their families. How do we get there?

Consider the following in a discussion of Progress Points in your community: Where is home to you?

Where do you and your family live, work, shop, learn, worship and play?

How does your community connect to the rest of the region?

How do we build stronger connections among the communities of Metro Hartford?

What are the greatest assets of the Metro Hartford region?

What are its greatest challenges?

How can we together address our greatest challenges and capitalize on our greatest assets for the good of all residents throughout the region?

Progress Points represents the start of a collective effort to address the root causes of our regions challenges, toward a vision of more vibrant and prosperous communities for all.

we, the institutional partners behind Progress Points, hope that this report will prompt groups and individuals across Metro Hartfordstate and local government, academic institutions, businesses, nonprofits, faith- and community-based organizations, advocacy organizations and institutionsto work together to make real progress on the issues illustrated by this report.

Please visit MetroHartfordProgressPoints.org to learn more.

2014 Metro Hartford Progress Points

MetroHartfordProgressPoints.org