The U.S. Census Bureau released 2020 redistricting data on August 12, 2021, and DataHaven immediately posted a public analysis of the 2020 Census data by age, race/ethnicity, county, and town with our calculations of changes in each category since the 2010 Census. Our analyses and staff commentary were featured widely on the front pages of Connecticut newspapers. Additionally, DataHaven's research team has worked closely with community partners to understand neighborhood-level changes within each town since 2010 and has published a report on that topic as well as town equity reports for all 169 towns. Follow on social media or in the local press as we share our findings. Here is a selection of recent coverage:
Census: 5 Things to Know About CT's Demographic Shifts, Hearst Connecticut Newspapers, August 13, 2021
https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/Census-5-things-to-know-about-CT-...
Excerpt:
The state’s overall population increased by 31,847 people in the last decade, with particular population growth in Fairfield County, where there are 40,590 more people than there were in 2010, according to a data analysis courtesy of DataHaven. Hartford County increased by 5,484 and New Haven County increased by 2,358. The other counties — Litchfield, Windham, Tolland, Middlesex and New London all lost population.
The big news is Stamford, which overtook New Haven as the second-largest city in the state, with 135,470 people compared with New Haven’s 134,023. Overall, the state’s 10 largest municipalities increased by 37,109 people, while the other 159 towns actually got smaller by 5,262, according to DataHaven’s analysis, though Hartford was one major exception. The population in the state’s capitol city decreased by 3 percent.
CT's child population shrinking, increasingly diverse, Hearst Connecticut Newspapers, Mary Wildeman, August 14, 2021
https://www.ctinsider.com/news/article/CT-s-child-population-shrinking-i...
Excerpt:
Mark Abraham, executive director at DataHaven, a nonprofit data cooperative, said Connecticut’s growth patterns over recent decades have been driven by migration. People tend to move to Connecticut from large metro areas, he said, and cities like New York are gateways for immigrants arriving in the U.S. Abraham said he believes much of the growth in Hispanic and Latino populations in Connecticut may be attributed to second-generation immigrants moving to the state.
“There’s sort of a change in population due to the history of migration in the tri-state area,” Abraham said.
Because the adult Asian and Hispanic or Latino populations are increasing so quickly, and those groups tend to be younger than white and Black populations, Abraham said even more of the state’s under-18 population are expected to be children of color in the decades ahead. Hispanic and Latino children were the biggest contributors to growth in diversity in the last 10 years, followed by Asian children, a population that grew by 12 percent. The population of multiracial children climbed 74 percent, while the number of Black children decreased by 8 percent.
The number of people who identify as multiracial in Connecticut grew 131% in the last decade as white population declined, new census data show, Hartford Courant, Daniela Altimari, August 14, 2021
https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-census-multiracial-connecticut-2...
Excerpt:
At the same time, the number of people who identify as multiracial grew from 59,505 in 2010 to 137,569 in 2020, a 131% increase.
The demographic shift is largely driven age, said Mark Abraham, executive director of DataHaven, a nonprofit group that collects and analyzes data about Connecticut and its communities.
“The average adult in Connecticut is almost 50,” Abraham said. “They’re not of child-bearing age any more. The white population tends to be older and the groups that are driving the increase are Asians and Latinos and they tend to be younger in their 20s and 30s ... and of child-bearing age.”
In addition to providing an important demographic snapshot, the census data released Thursday has several practical uses. Billions of dollars in federal money is dispersed based on population. Also, the numbers are essential to the redistricting process to ensure congressional and legislative districts are drawn fairly.
The census both “measures and manufactures race,” Hughey said. The first census, complete in 1790 contained just three racial categories: free white males and females, “all other free persons,” and enslaved people. Later, census takers recorded the race of the people they counted.
Census 2020: Litchfield County sees substantial increase in diversity over past decade, Register Citizen, Emily Olson and Sandra Diamond Fox, August 13, 2021
https://www.registercitizen.com/news/article/Census-2020-Litchfield-Coun...
Excerpt:
Mark Abraham, executive director of DataHaven — a nonprofit organization that partners with public and private agencies to collect, share and interpret public information, in commenting on census data, said Litchfield County declined in population by 2 percent from 2010 to 2020, “which is very similar to what we saw in Connecticut’s four other smaller counties.”
“Although a handful of Litchfield County’s smaller towns saw upticks in population, most towns in the county, including the largest towns there, saw substantial declines,” he said. “This is a reversal of the trend seen from 2000 to 2010.”
Abraham said that, also similar to other areas of the state, Litchfield County is growing more racially and ethnically diverse. While the population that identifies as Hispanic or Latino of any race rose by 71 percent, from 8,535 to 14,580, and the non-Hispanic multi-racial population grew by 214 percent, from 2,342 to 7,352, over the past decade, he said.
“This population tends to be younger — for example, while 6 (percent) of all adults in Litchfield County identify as Latino, 15 (percent) of children do,” Abraham said. “This suggests that Litchfield County will continue to grow more diverse over the next decade, and may begin to grow again if these more diverse communities continue to thrive in the area.” [....]
Abraham said the decline in the number of children living in Litchfield County was particularly pronounced: down 19 percent with the drop of 7,645 children, compared to a drop of just 10 percent statewide.
“Middlesex County was the only other county with such a large percentage decline in its child population. This may reflect that the population is aging, leading to lower birth rates than previous decades,” he said. “There may be relatively fewer young families establishing themselves in places like Litchfield County or Middlesex County each year, especially when compared to the larger towns with more housing and employment options.
“In particular, Stamford, Norwalk, Danbury, Bridgeport, and New Haven have younger populations and stable or growing populations of children, so are increasing in population even as the rest of the state is declining,” Abraham said.
Abraham also has noted longer-term trends in Connecticut are that the population has aged and people, on average, are having fewer children. The state population did grow in size, but was largely driven by people moving into Fairfield County, Abraham said.
New census data: New London County population shrank, grew more racially diverse, The Day, Erica Moser, August 13, 2021
https://www.theday.com/article/20210812/NWS01/210819798
Excerpt:
According to a spreadsheet compiled by the nonprofit DataHaven, the population change in New London County ranged from a 7.54% decrease in Bozrah to a 2.41% increase in Ledyard. The population decreased by 4.25% in Groton, 0.92% in New London and 0.91% in Norwich.
"I am encouraged by the release of detailed data from the Census Bureau today, which showed that Connecticut gained 31,847 residents and that the population of all 3 of our largest cities grew over the past decade," Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said in a statement, referring to Bridgeport, Stamford and New Haven. Bysiewicz, who served as chair of Connecticut's Complete Count Committee, touted the state's 99.9% overall response rate and 70.6% self-response rate, which increased from 2010.
Mark Abraham, executive director of DataHaven, said one thing that was surprising was how much some of the city centers in Connecticut grew. He noted that this is consistent with the national trend of people leaving smaller towns for larger urban areas.
[....]
Abraham also said with Connecticut's aging population, it's striking to see how the adult population is increasing but the child population is decreasing. From 2010 to 2020, the adult population of New London County increased by 2,466 people, while the child population dropped by 7,966. Abraham doesn't expect legislative districts in the county to change much, considering none of its municipalities saw dramatic population changes. But he said some Senate districts in eastern Connecticut may stretch west, since the growth in Fairfield County means more districts will need to be added there.
City Grew 3.3%, Hispanic Community 15%, New Haven Independent, Natalie Kainz and Thomas Breen, August 12, 2021
https://www.newhavenindependent.org/index.php/archives/entry/census_puer...
Excerpt:
The city’s Hispanic population grew by 5,477 officially counted persons, 15 percent, to bypass the local Black population as New Haven’s largest racial category. The Black population dropped 6 percent, to 30.4 percent; and the Non-Hispanic white population 10 percent to 27.6 percent, according to an analysis by DataHaven. The Asian-American population in town grew by 3,180 people, or 54 percent.
DataHaven broke down the data to this finer-grained ethnic breakdown:
• 41,068 Hispanic, of any race (30.6 percent)
• 40,788 Non-Hispanic Black alone (30.4 percent)
• 37,010 Non-Hispanic White alone (27.6 percent)
• 9,044 Non-Hispanic Asian alone (6.7 percent)
• 4,840 Non-Hispanic Two or More Races (3.6 percent)
• 873 Non-Hispanic Other Race alone (0.7 percent)
• 339 Non-Hispanic AIAN
• 61 Non-Hispanic NHPI
2020 census says: New Haven County grew, became more diverse in last decade, New Haven Register, Ben Lambert, August 13, 2021
https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/2020-census-says-New-Haven-Count...
Excerpt:
Mark Abraham , executive director of DataHaven — a nonprofit organization that partners with many public and private agencies to collect, share and interpret public information — noted that growth in Waterbury and New Haven bolstered the county as a whole, while most other communities declined in population or stayed roughly neutral in size.
The city of New Haven grew from 129,779 people to 134,023 over the decade, according to the census data, while Waterbury grew from 110,366 people to 114,403.
Abraham said that tied into longer-term trends in Connecticut, where the population has aged and people, on average, are having fewer children. The state population did grow in size, but was largely driven by people moving into Fairfield County, Abraham said. [....]
DataHaven has posted a spreadsheet providing an overview of census data for the state and a breakdown of changes since 2010, which is available here.
Census shows Stamford is booming and Connecticut’s population up slightly over last 10 years, Hartford Courant, Daniela Altimari, August 12, 2021
https://www.courant.com/politics/hc-pol-clb-census-data-connecticut-2021...
Excerpt:
What other trends were evident? The census numbers document a continued population shift toward lower Fairfield County. Stamford, with 135,470 residents, surpassed New Haven, with 134,023 people, as the state’s second largest city. That’s not surprising, said Mark Abraham, executive director of DataHaven, a nonprofit group that collects and analyzes data about Connecticut and its communities.
“Every year, there’s more housing built in Stamford,’' Abraham said. “That’s been the trend.” Stamford and New Haven were essentially tied in population in 2010.
What about the state’s other big cities? Bridgeport, with a population of 148,654, remains the state’s largest city. Hartford’s population was 121,054. New Haven came in at 134,023, more than the projection of 130,000 people last year.
Why does it matter? An accurate count is crucial for the state and its cities and towns. Billions of dollars in federal money is tied to population. Also, population is tied to representation in Congress and the numbers released Thursday will help drawn accurate House district lines.
“Every person that’s counted can bring $10,000-to-$20,000 to your city so communities are really mobilized to ensure the count is as accurate as possible,’' Abraham said.
2020 U.S. Census Results: The Changing Demographics Of Danbury, Danbury Patch, Rich Kirby, August 17, 2021
https://patch.com/connecticut/danbury/2020-u-s-census-results-changing-d...
Excerpt:
Danbury's child population grew by 7 percent, which matched exactly the city's overall growth. The statistic cut against the statewide trend, according to an analysis by non-profit DataHaven. "Generally speaking, this was due to a far steeper drop in the child populations of these 159 smaller towns, combined with relatively slower increases in their adult populations. Stamford, Norwalk, Bridgeport, and New Haven saw particularly large increases in their adult populations, while Danbury saw a relatively large increase in its child population," said Mark Abraham, executive director of DataHaven.
2020 census shows growth in Meriden’s Latino population, Meriden Record-Journal, Michael Gagne, August 23, 2021
https://www.myrecordjournal.com/News/Meriden/Meriden-News/An-analysis-of...
Excerpt:
MERIDEN — The city’s population of Latino residents grew by nearly 27% between 2010 and 2020, mirroring statewide trends, according to an analysis of recently released census data. That analysis of local 2020 U.S. Census counts was shared by DataHaven, a New Haven-based nonprofit. It shows the city’s overall population, which in 2020 totaled 60,850 residents, experienced a slight overall decline of 18 residents since the 2010 count.
But while the population remained stagnant, the city has become more diverse. The number of residents who identified as Latino or Hispanic was 22,295 residents. In 2010, 17,590 residents had identified similarly. Within a decade, that demographic’s population increased by 26.74%. It is similar to increases seen statewide and countywide. Overall, Connecticut’s population of Latino and Hispanic residents increased by 30%: from 479,089 residents in 2010 to 623,293 in 2020. Across New Haven County, tallies showed a 31% increase: from 129,743 Hispanic and Latino residents in 2010, to 170,081 residents 10 years later. In Meriden, the Latino population now represents more than 36.6% of the overall city population.
But that population is not the only demographic group whose numbers increased. The population of non-Hispanic or Latino residents who identified as two or more races more than doubled: from 1,036 residents in 2010 to 2,171 in 2020. Meanwhile, the population of white, non-Hispanic residents, declined by 19%: from 35,809 in 2010 to 29,104 a decade later. That population shift can be seen in children and adults. Within the 10-year span between counts, the city’s population of Latino children under the age of 18 grew to 7,103, from 6,502. Meanwhile the population of white, non-Hispanic/Latino children, declined considerably: from 5,677 in 2010, to 3,676 a decade later.
State Rep. Hilda Santiago co-chaired the city’s Census Count Committee along with Mayor Kevin Scarpati. The Census Count Committee’s in-person work was hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The committee relied on partnerships with groups and agencies like the Meriden Clergy Association, who encouraged members of their congregations to complete their census forms, along with the Meriden-Wallingford Chrysalis Center and the Midstate Chamber of Commerce. [....]
DataHaven Executive Director Mark Abraham said overall the data his organization analyzed show increases in the numbers of census respondents who listed multiple races and ethnicities in response to questions regarding identity. [....]
The data released earlier this month is just the first batch of data related to the 2020 count that the U.S. Census Bureau is set to release. Abraham noted other data sets regarding household and makeup and home ownership are also slated for release. In Meriden, Scarpati said the role of the city’s Census Count Committee was to educate, inform and encourage residents to complete the census to ensure the count was accurate.
“If anything else, these numbers will illustrate the fruits of our labor, and showcase really what Meriden’s population looks like as accurately as possible,” Scarpati said. [....]
Q&A: Looking at 2020 Census Data and What Changes We Saw in Connecticut, NBC Connecticut, Dan Corcoran, September 14, 2021
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/qa-looking-at-2020-census-data...
Excerpt:
There has been much discussion about the 2020 Census. Now we're getting a deeper look at the data on a local level. Camille Seaberry, a senior research associate for DataHaven, sat down with NBC Connecticut's Dan Corcoran to help us break it down. Dan: "Camille, thanks so much for talking with us tonight. So, what are some of the biggest takeaways that you found for some of our largest cities?”
Seaberry: “Connecticut's population as a whole stayed really just about the same, it barely changed between 2010 and 2020. The cities drove a lot of what growth there was in the state, and kind of balanced out shrinking populations in some of the smaller towns, out of the larger cities, Hartford was the only one that shrank at all in population, not a huge decline. But it did shrink a little bit. One of the most notable things was that Stamford went from being the fourth largest town in the state to being the second largest. So really, Stamford had a huge population growth, a lot of that was in kind of the downtown area.”
Census shows a changing West Haven; 'It's great we're more diverse', mayor says, New Haven Register, Brian Zahn, September 18, 2021
https://www.nhregister.com/news/article/Census-shows-a-changing-West-Hav...
Excerpt:
[....] According to the 2020 U.S. Census, West Haven’s overall population remained almost completely unchanged from 2010 to 2020 — the 2020 population estimate of 55,584 is only 20 people higher than in 2010 — but the racial and ethnic makeup of the city transformed significantly.
Hispanics like Rivera, who made up an estimated 18.2 percent of the population in 2010, represented 23.7 percent of the city’s population as of the 2020 census — becoming the largest racial and ethnic minority group in the city by numbers. The number of Black residents in the city also grew, from 18.3 percent in 2010 to 20.6 percent in 2020.
The city’s white population decreased from 56.9 percent of the population in 2010 to 46.7 percent by the 2020 census, with 5,675 fewer city residents identifying as white in the last decade. [....]
Mark Abraham, executive director of New Haven-based DataHaven, said the population of white adults in West Haven decreased by 15 percent between 2010 and 2020, a change that offset by growth in the adult population in all other racial and ethnic categories. The decline in the population of white adults is larger than the state average decline of 6 percent, Abraham said.
“This may suggest that, relatively speaking, homes in West Haven are more affordable to younger and more racially diverse adults than they are in the average town in Connecticut,” Abraham said.
Abraham said said that, for several reasons, “including being older and having larger family inheritances, white households tend to have more accumulated wealth and therefore are more able to afford homes in towns with higher housing prices, on average, than families of color are.”
“It could also suggest that West Haven is a more attractive place for racially diverse families to live for other reasons, such as the presence of ethnic groceries, churches, or other institutions,” Abraham said. “Finally, the student populations at the University of New Haven and Yale University have grown more diverse over the past decade, so that may have some influence on these changing demographics.”
Abraham said an additional “minor” reason that might contribute to the decline in white adults is an increase of residents who identified as white in 2010 who now might identify as multiracial “due to changes in the way people perceive their ancestry and racial identity.”
There was a 54 percent increase in the percentage of West Haven residents identifying with two or more races on the 2020 census, but that group only makes up 3 percent of the city’s population. [....]
The census also reflects that the city has fewer children now than it did in 2010. According to the survey, the population of residents under age 18 has decreased by 1,087.
Abraham said West Haven’s changing demographics, with respect to both race and age, are similar to Stratford. However, he said the aging of the population is a statewide trend.
“The number of children is declining during the past decade as more of the state’s population ages into their mid-40s (or beyond), and as young people are more likely to remain single or have fewer children on average,” he said. [....]
