Moving to West Hartford, Connecticut

by btobers · Published June 10, 2019 · Updated November 18, 2024

West Hartford, Connecticut is located in the north central part of the state and is bordered by Hartford to the south, Bloomfield to the west, and Avon to the east. The city covers an area of 18.2 square miles and has a population of around 63,000.

The climate in West Hartford is characterized by mild winters and warm summers. The average temperature range in winter is between 26-44 degrees Fahrenheit while in summer it’s between 68-86 degrees Fahrenheit. The city receives an average annual snowfall of 23 inches.

West Hartford was founded in 1672 as a farming community but has since grown into a major suburban center for Hartford County. It was incorporated as a town in 1854 and later became a city in 1961 following its rapid growth due to its proximity to Hartford. In terms of politics, West Hartford is considered a reliable Democratic stronghold with its current mayor being Shari Cantor who has held office since 2011.

The economy of West Hartford is mostly driven by education, healthcare, retail, and banking sectors with several major companies such as Aetna, United Technologies Corporation (UTC), Travelers Insurance Company based here. The city also houses many educational institutions including Conard High School, Hall High School, Sedgwick Middle School and numerous colleges which attract students from across Connecticut and beyond.

In terms of landmarks and attractions, West Hartford boasts some truly remarkable places like Elizabeth Park which houses one of the largest rose gardens in New England as well as other picturesque gardens and walking trails; The Children’s Museum; The Connecticut Historical Society; Westfarms Mall; The University of Saint Joseph; Talcott Mountain State Park; Noah Webster House & West Hartford Historical Society; Old Farm River State Park among others. There are also several renowned restaurants offering diverse cuisines from all over the world making it a great destination for foodies alike!

Population: 63,589. Estimated population in July 2024: 61,173 (-3.8% change)
Males: 29,252 (46.0%), Females: 34,337 (54.0%)

Hartford County

Demographics

Median resident age: 40.0 years
Median household income: $61,665
Median house value: $176,400

Population by Race

Races in West Hartford:

White Non-Hispanic (82.9%)
Hispanic (6.3%)
Black (4.8%)
Other race (2.6%)
Two or more races (1.7%)
Asian Indian (1.3%)
Chinese (1.2%)
Vietnamese (1.1%)
Other Asian (0.6%)

(Total can be greater than 100% because Hispanics could be counted in other races)

Ancestries: Irish (16.7%), Italian (10.8%), English (10.2%), German (8.9%), Polish (6.2%), Russian (5.8%).

Elevation: 136 feet

Land area: 22.0 square miles

Map of West Hartford, CT

Population by Education

West Hartford, Connecticut is a thriving, diverse city of approximately 64,000 people. It is located in the northeastern part of the state and is part of the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. The population is relatively young with a median age of 40.2 years old, and it has an even gender split with 49.7% male and 50.3% female residents.

The majority of West Hartford’s population are white (77%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (12%) and African American (10%). There are also significant numbers of Asian Americans (4%), Native Americans (1%), and individuals from other races or ethnicities making up the remaining 6%. The city is home to many different cultures, religions, and lifestyles which come together to form a unique community that reflects the diversity found in all parts of Connecticut.

The population is well-educated, with over 88% of adults having at least some college education or higher. Many residents have professional careers in fields such as finance, healthcare, technology, education, business management and more. West Hartford also boasts a strong economy with a median household income of $78,741 according to 2019 census data – one of the highest in Connecticut – as well as an unemployment rate that has remained low for several years now.

In addition to its economic success, West Hartford offers plenty for its residents to do in their leisure time including parks and recreation areas like Elizabeth Park; numerous shopping centers; arts centers like The Bushnell Center for Performing Arts; cultural attractions such as The Mark Twain House & Museum; sporting events like UConn football games; concerts at Xfinity Theatre; various festivals such as Taste of Hartford; plus an array of restaurants offering cuisines from around the world.

For population 25 years and over in West Hartford

High school or higher: 90.3%
Bachelor’s degree or higher: 53.0%
Graduate or professional degree: 26.2%
Unemployed: 13.2%
Mean travel time to work: 19.7 minutes

For population 15 years and over in West Hartford town

Never married: 23.4%
Now married: 59.1%
Separated: 1.3%
Widowed: 8.4%
Divorced: 7.8%

14.8% Foreign born (6.7% Europe, 4.2% Asia, 2.4% Latin America).

Hospitals

Hospital/medical center in West Hartford:

HEBREW HOME AND HOSPITAL, INC (1 ABRAHMS BLVD)

Other hospitals/medical centers near West Hartford:

HARTFORD HOSPITAL (about 3 miles; HARTFORD, CT)
ST FRANCIS HOSPITAL & MEDICAL CENTER (about 3 miles; HARTFORD, CT)
CONNECTICUT CHILDRENS MEDICAL CENTER (about 4 miles; HARTFORD, CT)

Airports

Airports certified for carrier operations nearest to West Hartford:

HARTFORD-BRAINARD (about 7 miles; HARTFORD, CT; Abbreviation: HFD)
BRADLEY INTL (about 14 miles; WINDSOR LOCKS, CT; Abbreviation: BDL)
BARNES MUNI (about 27 miles; WESTFIELD/SPRINGFIELD, MA; Abbreviation: BAF)

Other public-use airports nearest to West Hartford:

ROBERTSON FIELD (about 10 miles; PLAINVILLE, CT; Abbreviation: 4B8)
SIMSBURY (about 11 miles; SIMSBURY, CT; Abbreviation: 4B9)
SKYLARK AIRPARK (about 17 miles; WAREHOUSE POINT, CT; Abbreviation: 7B6)

Amtrak stations near West Hartford:

5 miles: HARTFORD (1 UNION PLACE). Services: ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, full-service food facilities, snack bar, vending machines, ATM, paid short-term parking, paid long-term parking, call for car rental service, taxi stand, intercity bus service, public transit connection.
9 miles: BERLIN (KENSINGTON, DEPOT RD.). Services: ticket office, partially wheelchair accessible, enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, free short-term parking, free long-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection.
10 miles: WINDSOR (41 CENTRAL ST.). Services: enclosed waiting area, public restrooms, public payphones, free short-term parking, call for car rental service, call for taxi service, public transit connection.

Colleges and Universities

Colleges/Universities in West Hartford:

UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD (Full-time enrollment: 5,557; Location: 200 BLOOMFIELD AVE; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.hartford.edu; Offers Doctor’s degree)
UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT-TRI-CAMPUS (Full-time enrollment: 1,394; Location: 85 LAWLER RD; Public; Website: www.uconn.edu; Offers Master’s degree)
SAINT JOSEPH COLLEGE (Full-time enrollment: 1,186; Location: 1678 ASYLUM AVE; Private, not-for-profit; Website: www.sjc.edu; Offers Master’s degree)
FOX INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS (Full-time enrollment: 259; Location: 99 SOUTH ST; Private, for-profit)
BERLITZ LANGUAGE CENTERS (Location: 61 S MAIN ST; Private, for-profit)

Other colleges/universities with over 2000 students near West Hartford:

MANCHESTER COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 3 miles; MANCHESTER, CT; Full-time enrollment: 2,863)
TRINITY COLLEGE (about 4 miles; HARTFORD, CT; Full-time enrollment: 2,056)
CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE UNIVERSITY (about 7 miles; NEW BRITAIN, CT; Full-time enrollment: 8,967)
WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY (about 16 miles; MIDDLETOWN, CT; Full-time enrollment: 2,993)
SPRINGFIELD TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 26 miles; SPRINGFIELD, MA; Full-time enrollment: 4,026)
QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY (about 27 miles; HAMDEN, CT; Full-time enrollment: 5,836)
NAUGATUCK VALLEY COMMUNITY COLLEGE (about 27 miles; WATERBURY, CT; Full-time enrollment: 2,834)

Schools

Public high schools in West Hartford:

HALL HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,557; Location: 975 NORTH MAIN ST.; Grades: 09 – 12)
CONARD HIGH SCHOOL (Students: 1,360; Location: 110 BERKSHIRE RD.; Grades: 09 – 12)

Private high schools in West Hartford:

KINGSWOOD OXFORD SCHOOL UPPER (Students: 357; Location: 170 KINGSWOOD ROAD; Grades: 9 – 12)
AMERICAN SCHOOL FOR THE DEAF (Students: 239; Location: 139 NORTH MAIN STREET; Grades: PK – 12)
HARTFORD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY (Students: 131; Location: 155 MOUNTAIN RAOD; Grades: KG – 12)
HEBREW HIGH SCH OF NEW ENGLAND (Students: 57; Location: 1244 N.MAIN STREET; Grades: 9 – 12)
BEN BRONZ ACADEMY (Students: 50; Location: 139 N MAIN ST BOATNER BLDG; Grades: 3 – 12)
WOODSTOCK SCH(THE) (CAPS) (Students: 18; Location: 11 WAMPANOAG DR; Grades: 7 – 12)

Biggest public primary/middle schools in West Hartford:

KING PHILIP MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,145; Location: 100 KING PHILIP DR.; Grades: 06 – 08)
SEDGWICK MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 1,049; Location: 128 SEDGWICK RD.; Grades: 06 – 08)
DUFFY SCHOOL (Students: 548; Location: 95 WESTMINSTER ST.; Grades: KG – 05)
WOLCOTT SCHOOL (Students: 522; Location: 71 WOLCOTT RD.; Grades: KG – 05)
WHITING LANE SCHOOL (Students: 476; Location: 47 WHITING LN.; Grades: PK – 05)
WEBSTER HILL SCHOOL (Students: 456; Location: 125 WEBSTER HILL BLVD.; Grades: KG – 05)
NORFELDT SCHOOL (Students: 431; Location: 35 BARKSDALE RD.; Grades: KG – 05)
BRAEBURN SCHOOL (Students: 398; Location: 45 BRAEBURN RD.; Grades: KG – 05)
AIKEN SCHOOL (Students: 395; Location: 212 KING PHILIP DR.; Grades: KG – 05)
UNIVERSITY OF HARTFORD MAGNET SCHOOL (Students: 391; Location: 196 BLOOMFIELD AVE.; Grades: PK – 05)

Private primary/middle schools in West Hartford:

RENBROOK SCHOOL (Students: 571; Location: 2865 ALBANY AVENUE; Grades: PK – 9)
ST THOMAS THE APOSTLE SCHOOL (Students: 313; Location: 25 DOVER ROAD; Grades: PK – 5)
ST BRIGID SCHOOL (Students: 250; Location: 100 MAYFLOWER STREET; Grades: PK – 8)
ST TIMOTHY MIDDLE SCHOOL (Students: 142; Location: 225 KING PHILIP DRIVE; Grades: 6 – 8)
GENGRAS CTR/ST JOSEPH COLLEGE (Students: 123; Location: ST. JOSEPH COLLEGE; Grades: UG – UG)
THE CEDAR COURT SCHOOL (Students: 102; Location: 27 PARK ROAD; Grades: PK – 5)
INTENSIVE EDUCATION ACADEMY IN (Students: 43; Location: 840 NORTH MAIN STREET; Grades: UG – UG)

Libraries

Library in West Hartford:

WEST HARTFORD PUBLIC LIBRARY (Operating income: $3,094,774; Location: 20 SOUTH MAIN ST.; 277,770 books; 10,720 audio materials; 9,363 video materials; 698 serial subscriptions)