HomeConnecticutWestern Connecticut Planning Region
Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut: commercial real estate data.
Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut had an estimated 637,013 residents on July 1, 2024, up 2.6 percent since the 2020 census base of 620,884, across 532 square miles. County output reached $76.34 bn in 2024, 19,955 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 802 7(a) approvals worth $329.7 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
How many people live in Western Connecticut Planning Region
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024627,071
- Households235,379
- Average household size2.66
- Median household income$128,188
- Median age41.5
- Median gross rent$2,110 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$652,900
- Home value to household income5.1 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income19.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher55.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree25.4 percent
- Adults 25 and over438,487
- Population under 18136,490
- Share under 1821.8 percent
- Population 65 and over109,217
- Share 65 and over17.4 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64381,364
- Civilian labor force346,557
- Unemployment rate5.3 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over70.6 percent
- Rank by population among Connecticut planning regions2nd of 9
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included111th of 3,222
Western Connecticut Planning Region is the 2nd largest of 9 Connecticut planning regions by population. A median home costs 5.1 times median household income, which is severely unaffordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 21.8 percent against 17.4 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
Is Western Connecticut Planning Region's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 2024637,013
- Census 2020 base population620,884
- Population change since the 2020 census base2.60 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 20246,812
- Births, 20246,326
- Deaths, 20244,768
- Natural change, 20241,558
- Net domestic migration, 2024-4,317
- Net international migration, 20249,532
- Total net migration, 20245,215
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024-12,862
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents982nd of 3,144
The county has grown 2.60 percent since the 2020 census base. The population grew in 2024 from both sources: births exceeded deaths and more people moved in than left.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
Where are people moving to Western Connecticut Planning Region from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving15,702
- People arriving, from those returns26,403
- Tax returns filed by households leaving17,895
- Net household movement-2,193
- Adjusted gross income arriving$4.00 bn
- Net adjusted gross income movement$12.6 m
- Average income of an arriving household$254,936
- Average income of a leaving household$222,988
- Largest single originWestchester County (2,396 households)
- Largest single destinationGreater Bridgeport Planning Regio (1,875 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Westchester County | 2,396 | 4,364 | $695.6 m |
| New York County | 1,523 | 2,789 | $970.1 m |
| Greater Bridgeport Planning Regio | 1,262 | 2,044 | $118.5 m |
| Bronx County | 780 | 1,447 | $63.2 m |
| Kings County | 645 | 1,204 | $252.9 m |
| Naugatuck Valley Planning Region | 633 | 991 | $50.4 m |
| Queens County | 569 | 1,020 | $77.4 m |
| South Central Connecticut Plannin | 513 | 744 | $57.6 m |
Households arriving report $31,948 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Westchester County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
What is the Western Connecticut Planning Region economy?
- County GDP, 2024$76.34 bn
- County GDP, 2023$0
- Rank by GDP among the Connecticut areas BEA publishes2nd of 17
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes69th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$121,746
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
Employment by industry in Western Connecticut Planning Region
- Covered employment, annual average287,189
- Establishments reporting33,324
- Average annual pay$129,052
- Average weekly wage$2,482
- Health care and social assistance, employment44,014
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$78,503
- Retail trade, employment33,578
- Retail trade, average annual pay$52,938
- Finance and insurance, employment25,511
- Finance and insurance, average annual pay$447,504
- Professional, scientific and technical services, employment24,027
- Professional, scientific and technical services, average annual pay$174,689
- Accommodation and food services, employment23,907
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment15,715
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 44,014 | 3,297 | $78,503 |
| Retail trade | 33,578 | 2,571 | $52,938 |
| Finance and insurance | 25,511 | 2,940 | $447,504 |
| Professional, scientific and technical services | 24,027 | 5,810 | $174,689 |
| Accommodation and food services | 23,907 | 1,894 | $36,398 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 15,715 | 2,380 | $96,809 |
| Manufacturing | 13,621 | 588 | $130,242 |
| Other services, except public administration | 13,058 | 3,997 | $55,504 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 44,014 jobs, 15.3 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
How many businesses are in Western Connecticut Planning Region?
- Establishments, all industries19,955
- Employment at those establishments292,288
- Annual payroll$33.03 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents31.8
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
Building permits in Western Connecticut Planning Region
- Housing units authorized by permit, 20241,094
- Declared construction value permitted$493.9 m
- Single family units authorized389
- Multifamily units authorized705
- Multifamily share of units64.4 percent
- Average declared value per unit$451,504
- Units authorized per 1,000 households4.6
Multifamily is 64.4 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
SBA loans in Western Connecticut Planning Region (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded802
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$329.7 m
- Average 7(a) approval$411,072
- Median 7(a) approval$150,000
- 10th percentile approval$25,000
- 90th percentile approval$1,000,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)5,704
- Jobs per approval7.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active81
- Distinct industries receiving approvals261
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer8.2 percent
- Loans on real estate terms66
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter709
- Franchise loans69
- Franchise share of approvals8.6 percent
- Leading industry by approval countFitness and Recreational Sports Centers (26)
- Most active lenderManufacturers and Traders Trust Company (159)
- 504 approvals recorded152
- 504 gross approval dollars$126.0 m
- Average 504 approval$829,184
- Median 504 approval$515,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval5.8
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved7.0
- Most active CDCCommunity Investment Corporation (67)
- Combined SBA approval dollars, 7(a) FY2020 to FY2026 and 504 FY2010 to FY2026$455.7 m
The average approval of $411,072 sits well above the median of $150,000, pulled up by a few larger deals, so the median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here gets. Only 8.2 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition. A further 1,590 Connecticut approvals are recorded against the state's former counties, which were replaced by planning regions in 2022. The two sets of boundaries do not nest, so those approvals cannot be assigned to a planning region and are excluded from every figure on this page.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Western Connecticut Planning Region
Do SBA loans in Western Connecticut Planning Region get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded87
- Paid in full74
- Charged off13
- Charge-off rate on resolved loans14.9 percent
- Status: Paid in full74
- Status: Charged off13
- Status: Exempt from disclosure563
- Status: Cancelled72
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed80
Of the 87 loans that have reached a final outcome, 14.9 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
SBA lending by place in Western Connecticut Planning Region
- Borrower cities with recorded lending23
- Stamford, approvals143
- Norwalk, approvals125
- Danbury, approvals87
- Westport Village, approvals53
- Ridgefield, approvals53
- Greenwich, approvals52
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Stamford | 143 | $69,413,300 |
| Norwalk | 125 | $46,766,400 |
| Danbury | 87 | $32,872,400 |
| Westport Village | 53 | $29,156,900 |
| Ridgefield | 53 | $17,784,400 |
| Greenwich | 52 | $15,302,200 |
| Bethel | 49 | $20,099,600 |
| Brookfield | 43 | $12,900,500 |
| 15 other borrower cities | 197 | $85,383,900 |
Stamford accounts for 143 approvals against 125 in Norwalk. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
How large is Western Connecticut Planning Region?
- Land area532 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Connecticut planning regions5th of 9
- Width, east to west28.3 mi
- Height, north to south50.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land1,179
- Establishments per square mile37.51
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Western Connecticut Planning Region site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Western Connecticut Planning Region site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-2024627,071
- Households235,379
- Average household size2.66
- Median household income$128,188
- Median age41.5
Common questions
Western Connecticut Planning Region questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut?
The Census Bureau estimates 637,013 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 627,071, in 235,379 households, ranking 2nd of 9 Connecticut counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Western Connecticut Planning Region's population growing?
The population has grown 2.60 percent since the 2020 census base of 620,884, to 637,013 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 6,326 births against 4,768 deaths, with net migration of 5,215. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Western Connecticut Planning Region?
$128,188. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $652,900, which is 5.1 times income, and median gross rent is $2,110 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Western Connecticut Planning Region?
19,955 establishments, employing 292,288 people with an annual payroll of $33.03 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Western Connecticut Planning Region?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 44,014 jobs, 15.3 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 287,189 jobs at an average annual pay of $129,052, or $2,482 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Western Connecticut Planning Region?
802 7(a) approvals totaling $329.7 m since FY2020, across 81 lenders, with a median approval of $150,000, plus 152 504 approvals worth $126.0 m since FY2010. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Western Connecticut Planning Region get paid back?
Of the 87 loans that have reached a final outcome, 74 were paid in full and 13 charged off, a charge-off rate of 14.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
How many building permits were issued in Western Connecticut Planning Region?
1,094 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $493.9 m. Multifamily was 64.4 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Where do people moving to Western Connecticut Planning Region come from?
The largest single origin is Westchester County, with 2,396 households. Arriving households report an average income of $254,936 against $222,988 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Western Connecticut Planning Region on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Western Connecticut Planning Region?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Western Connecticut Planning Region
Cities and places in Western Connecticut.
66 Census places lie wholly or partly in Western Connecticut Planning Region. All 66 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stamford | city | 137,144 | 143 | Wholly in this county |
| Norwalk | city | 92,187 | 125 | Wholly in this county |
| Danbury | city | 87,263 | 87 | Wholly in this county |
| Greenwich | CDP | 14,792 | 52 | Wholly in this county |
| Bethel | CDP | 11,404 | 49 | Wholly in this county |
| Sandy Hook | CDP | 9,863 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Riverside | CDP | 8,954 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| New Milford | CDP | 8,188 | 36 | Wholly in this county |
| Cos Cob | CDP | 7,546 | 11 | Wholly in this county |
| Staples | CDP | 7,340 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ridgefield | CDP | 6,970 | 53 | Wholly in this county |
| Old Greenwich | CDP | 6,936 | 8 | Wholly in this county |
| New Canaan | CDP | 6,896 | 22 | Wholly in this county |
| Noroton | CDP | 5,539 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Byram | CDP | 4,633 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pemberwick | CDP | 3,665 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Coleytown | CDP | 3,472 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Compo | CDP | 3,410 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Greens Farms | CDP | 3,229 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Westport Village | CDP | 3,021 | 53 | Wholly in this county |
| Old Hill | CDP | 2,990 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Tokeneke | CDP | 2,951 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Saugatuck | CDP | 2,925 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Noroton Heights | CDP | 2,782 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Glenville | CDP | 2,656 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ball Pond | CDP | 2,627 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ridgebury | CDP | 2,060 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Georgetown | CDP | 1,932 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Newtown | borough | 1,898 | 21 | Wholly in this county |
| Wilton Center | CDP | 1,682 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| South Wilton | CDP | 1,444 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lakes West | CDP | 1,395 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Darien Downtown | CDP | 1,242 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lakes East | CDP | 1,227 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Poplar Plains | CDP | 1,141 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Route 7 Gateway | CDP | 1,108 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Inglenook | CDP | 1,056 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Weston | CDP | 966 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
| Candlewood Orchards | CDP | 900 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bigelow Corners | CDP | 884 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cannondale | CDP | 758 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Gaylordsville | CDP | 740 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Indian Field | CDP | 716 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Botsford | CDP | 635 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Candlewood Isle | CDP | 633 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Candlewood Shores | CDP | 525 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Mamanasco Lake | CDP | 499 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Rock Ridge | CDP | 482 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Taylor Corners | CDP | 481 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| West Mountain | CDP | 387 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Lakeside Woods | CDP | 363 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Dodgingtown | CDP | 285 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Knollcrest | CDP | 266 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Redding Center | CDP | 262 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Candlewood Lake Club | CDP | 255 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Brookfield Center | CDP | 248 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Candlewood Knolls | CDP | 224 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Hawleyville | CDP | 164 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bridgewater | CDP | 130 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Topstone | CDP | 122 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sail Harbor | CDP | 120 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Chimney Point | CDP | 117 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Branchville | CDP | 88 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bogus Hill | CDP | 80 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Kellogg Point | CDP | 22 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sherman | CDP | 0 | 9 | Wholly in this county |
A further 110 of the county's 802 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Western Connecticut Planning Region, the largest being Brookfield (43), Wilton (31), Darien (21). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.