58-518: Fairfield County is the name of three counties in the United States: Fairfield County, Connecticut Fairfield County, Ohio Fairfield County, South Carolina [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change
116-401: A humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) along Long Island Sound . The hardiness zone is 6b in the north and 7a within ten miles of the coast except for areas of Greenwich and Stamford along the coast which are 7b. [1] See or edit raw graph data . As of the census of 2000, there were 882,567 people, 324,232 households, and 228,259 families residing in the county. The population density
174-546: A British raid on Greenwich on February 26, 1779 General Israel Putnam , who had stayed at Knapp's Tavern the previous night, rode away on his horse to warn the people of Stamford. Putnam was shot at by the British raiders but was able to escape. The hat he was wearing with a musket ball hole in it is on display at Knapp's Tavern in Greenwich (which is commonly, albeit somewhat erroneously, called Putnam's cottage ). In
232-406: A family was $ 100,593. Males had a median income of $ 70,187 versus $ 50,038 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 48,295. About 5.6% of families and 8.0% of the population were below the poverty line , including 9.4% of those under age 18 and 6.4% of those age 65 or over. Data is from the 2010 United States Census and the 2006–2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Data
290-513: A total area of 837 square miles (2,170 km ), of which 625 square miles (1,620 km ) is land and 212 square miles (550 km ) (25.3%) is water. The terrain of the county trends from flat near the coast to hilly and higher near its northern extremity. The highest elevation is 1,290 feet (390 m) above sea level along the New York state line south of Branch Hill in the Town of Sherman;
348-531: Is a county in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut . It is the most populous county in the state and was also its fastest-growing from 2010 to 2020. As of the 2020 census , the county's population was 957,419, representing 26.6% of Connecticut's overall population. The closest to the center of the New York metropolitan area , the county contains four of the state's top 7 largest cities— Bridgeport (1st), Stamford (2nd), Norwalk (6th), and Danbury (7th)—whose combined population of 433,368
406-424: Is from the 2007–2011 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, ACS Demographic and Housing Estimates, "Race alone or in combination with one or more other races." In the late 1960s and early 1970s, corporations began moving their headquarters to Fairfield County from Manhattan ; Thomas J. Lueck of The New York Times said that the trend "permanently decentralized big business in the New York region ." During
464-549: Is nearly half the county's total population. The United States Office of Management and Budget has designated Fairfield County as the Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk metropolitan statistical area . The United States Census Bureau ranked the metropolitan area as the 59th most populous metropolitan statistical area of the United States in 2019. The U.S. Office of Management and Budget has further designated
522-412: Is only a geographical point of reference. All municipal services are provided by the towns, who sometimes will share certain resources through regionalization. In order to address issues concerning more than one town, several regional agencies that help coordinate the towns for infrastructure, land use, and economic development concerns have been established. Within the geographical area of Fairfield County,
580-634: Is primarily provided by the Connecticut State Police . Prior to 2000, a County Sheriff's Department existed for the purpose of executing judicial warrants, prisoner transport, court security, Bailiff , and county and state executions. These responsibilities have now been taken over by the Connecticut State Marshal System . List of counties in Connecticut There are eight counties in
638-548: Is residually polluted with Monsanto chemicals called Aroclor, polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs . From c. 1932 until 1977, the river received PCB pollution discharges from the General Electric plant at Pittsfield, Massachusetts . Refer to List of Mountains and Summits in Fairfield County, Connecticut . Fairfield County has a hot-summer humid continental climate ( Dfa ) which borders
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#1732765874680696-662: The Appalachian Trail runs through Fairfield County; the trail enters Connecticut in the northernmost and least populous town in the county, Sherman , and moves east into Litchfield County , which encompasses the majority of the Appalachian Trail in Connecticut. The section of the Taconic Mountains range that runs through Greenwich and North Stamford of Fairfield County is also the part of
754-605: The Connecticut Gold Coast , Fairfield County, along with all other Connecticut counties, was abolished as a governmental agency in accord with state legislation that took effect October 1, 1960. The first enclosed shopping malls in Fairfield County were Trumbull Shopping Park (1963), in the bedroom community of Trumbull just outside Bridgeport, the now gone Lafayette Shopping Park (1965) in Bridgeport, replaced downtown blocks that were demolished as part of
812-683: The U.S. state of Connecticut . Four of the counties – Fairfield, Hartford, New Haven and New London – were created in 1666, shortly after the Connecticut Colony and the New Haven Colony combined. Windham and Litchfield counties were created later in the colonial era, while Middlesex and Tolland counties were created after American independence (both in 1785). Six of the counties are named for locations in England, where many early Connecticut settlers originated; Fairfield County
870-737: The "Lock City", as the home of the Yale and Towne Lock Manufacturing Company . Bridgeport, nicknamed "Park City" had in 1930 over 500 factories within its borders. Bridgeport Machines, Inc. , a milling machine manufacturer, was founded in Bridgeport in 1938, as well as Hubbell Incorporated in the 1890s, these are two examples, various companies were headquartered in Bridgeport, such as Warnerco , ACME Shear , Westinghouse subsidiary Bryant Electric among others, and others such as Remington Arms , General Electric , Singer Sewing Machines , Sikorsky Aircraft , Carpenter Steel , and countless others, had large scale manufacturing complexes there. Most of
928-547: The 1980s many buyouts and reorganizations and an economic recession lead to companies vacating much of the suburban office space in Fairfield County. In 1992 Fairfield County had the headquarters of over 25 major multinational corporations, giving it the third largest concentration of those companies in the United States after New York City and Chicago . Fairfield County is home to a large concentration of hedge funds and private equity firms , with many located along
986-566: The Appalachians that is closest to the coast out of the entire Appalachian Mountains . The agreed 1684 territorial limits of the county are defined as 20 miles (32 km) east of New York's Hudson River , which extends into Long Island Sound with a southerly limit of halfway to Long Island, New York. The eastern limit is mostly a natural border defined as the halfway point of the Housatonic River with New Haven County with
1044-483: The F.D. Rich Company, which was hired by the city to redevelop what was described as the aging, deteriorating downtown, throughout the 60s, 70s and early 80s. Stamford's population grew from 92,713 in 1960 to 135,470 people in 2020, making it the 2nd largest city in Connecticut in 2022 (behind Bridgeport ), surpassing New Haven . According to the United States Census Bureau , the county has
1102-533: The Gold Coast in places like Greenwich , Stamford , and Westport . Major hedge funds headquartered in Fairfield County include Bridgewater Associates , AQR Capital , Point72 Asset Management , Lone Pine Capital , Viking Global Investors , and Tudor Investment Corporation . Fairfield County is the top location for aquaculture in the state. As of 1960, counties in Connecticut do not have any associated county government structure. Thus Fairfield County
1160-603: The Spring and early Summer of 1614 in the North America-built vessel Onrust . The first European settlers of the county, however, were Puritans and Congregationalists from England . Roger Ludlow (1590–1664), one of the founders of the Colony of Connecticut , helped to purchase and charter the towns of Fairfield (1639) and Norwalk (purchased 1640, chartered as a town in 1651). Ludlow is credited as having chosen
1218-790: The affluent areas for which the county is better known. Fairfield County was the home of many Native American tribes prior to the Europeans' arrival. People of the Schaghticoke tribe lived in the area of present-day New Fairfield and Sherman . From east to west the Wappinger sachemships included the Paugussetts , Tankiteke, and the Siwanoy . There were also Paquioque and Potatuck inhabitants of Fairfield County. The Dutch explorer Adriaen Block explored coastal Connecticut in
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#17327658746801276-407: The age of 18 living with them, 53.1% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.6% were non-families, and 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.21. The median age was 39.5 years. The median income for a household in the county was $ 81,268 and the median income for
1334-428: The age of 18 living with them, 55.50% were married couples living together, 11.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 24.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.67 and the average family size was 3.18. In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.60% under
1392-468: The age of 18, 7.00% from 18 to 24, 30.90% from 25 to 44, 23.30% from 45 to 64, and 13.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.60 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 65,249, and the median income for a family was $ 77,690. Males had a median income of $ 51,996 versus $ 37,108 for females. The per capita income for
1450-457: The bureau retired the codes and assigned new ones to more clearly illustrate the break in geographic continuity. The Census noted that there is substantial correlation between the historic county borders and planning regions, however planning regions may incorporate towns from several counties. The bureau notes that the recognition of planning regions as county equivalents was unique to the specific conditions in Connecticut, and would not constitute
1508-497: The cession of the town of Rye and all claims to the Oblong to New York. From the late 17th to early 18th centuries, several new towns were incorporated in western Connecticut and added to Fairfield County, namely Danbury (1687), Ridgefield (1709), Newtown (1711), and New Fairfield (1740). In 1751, Litchfield County was constituted, taking over the town of Woodbury. The final boundary adjustment to Fairfield County occurred in 1788 when
1566-419: The cities and towns are responsible for all local governmental activities including fire and rescue, schools, and snow removal; in a few cases, neighboring towns will share certain resources. The last county seat was Bridgeport , which had served this role from 1853 until 1960. On June 6, 2022, the U.S. Census Bureau formally recognized Connecticut's nine councils of governments as county equivalents instead of
1624-578: The city's urban renewal, Danbury Fair Mall (1968) on the former fairgrounds of the annual Danbury Fair , Hawley Lane Mallin Trumbull (1971) and the Stamford Town Center (1982) as part of the urban renewal project in downtown Stamford. Stamford, Connecticut, is an example of edge cityurbanization . Stamford in the 1960s was a residential suburb of New York City, with a few industries and research laboratories, but of Stamford's downtown
1682-594: The country. The city gained a reputation for having an aging industrial image, what New York Times articles described as a smokestack filled, aging view of the city from the highway. The Connecticut Turnpike (Interstate 95) was built in the mid-1950s along the coast, joining the scenic Merrit Parkway , built in the late 1930s to alleviate traffic on the Post Road , and built further inland away from population centers. Towns such as Westport , Darien, New Caanan, Stamford, and Greenwich became New York City suburbs, forming
1740-475: The county remained agricultural. Westport in the 1920s was a bohemian summer artist colony, and was home to famous artists, writers, and painters, such as F. Scott Fitzgerald , who spent a summer in town. The Cos Cob art colony flourished from the late 1800s to the 1920s. At the height of its influence in the 1920s, the Ku Klux Klan had a distinct presence in the county and county politics. The group
1798-504: The county was $ 38,350. About 5.00% of families and 6.90% of the population were below the poverty line , including 8.30% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 916,829 people, 335,545 households, and 232,896 families residing in the county. The population density was 1,467.2 inhabitants per square mile (566.5/km ). There were 361,221 housing units at an average density of 578.1 per square mile (223.2/km ). The racial makeup of
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1856-425: The county was 74.8% white, 10.8% black or African American, 4.6% Asian, 0.3% American Indian, 6.8% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 16.9% of the population. In terms of ancestry, 18.1% were Italian , 15.9% were Irish , 9.8% were German , 8.7% were English , 5.5% were Polish , and 2.7% were American . Of the 335,545 households, 36.4% had children under
1914-571: The exception of several islands belonging wholly to Stratford . The depth of the Sound varies between 60 and 120 feet (37 m). The county hosts or contains the rivers Byram , Housatonic , Mianus , Mill , Norwalk , Pequonnock , Rippowam , Saugatuck , and Still . The Still River is polluted with mercury nitrate from the hat industry in Danbury , also thereafter diluting into the Housatonic River and Long Island Sound . The Housatonic
1972-476: The first 20 months of US involvement during the First World War, producing 50% of Allied ammunition during that time. Bridgeport by 1920 had a population of 143,555 people, then the 44th largest US city. Danbury , in northern Fairfield County, was known as the "Hat City", producing 20% of America's hats, until the industry began to decline in the 1920s. Stamford (population 40,067 in 1920), was known as
2030-519: The first four Connecticut counties, on May 10, 1666. From transcriptions of the Connecticut Colonial Records for that day: The original Fairfield County consisted of the towns of Rye , Greenwich, Stamford, Norwalk, Fairfield , and Stratford . In 1673, the town of Woodbury was incorporated and added to Fairfield County. In 1683, New York and Connecticut reached a final agreement regarding their common border. This resulted in
2088-615: The flow of supplies from Connecticut that were reaching the Continental Army . Tryon and Henry Duncan led a fleet of 26 ships carrying 2,000 men to Westport's Compo Beach to raid Continental Army supply depots in Danbury on April 22, 1777. American Major General David Wooster (1710–1777), who was born in Stratford, was in charge of the stores at Danbury and defended them with a force of only 700 troops. Two years later during
2146-550: The largest cities in the county were Bridgeport , Norwalk , Danbury , Stamford and Greenwich . By 1905, Bridgeport had become the principle manufacturing center in the state, and one of the major manufacturers in the New England region behind Boston , Providence , and Worcester , with $ 44,586,519 total worth of products manufactured without adjusting to today's money. Stamford and Greenwich had become popular resort towns for New York City's wealthy. Connecticut in 1905
2204-430: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Fairfield_County&oldid=932821371 " Category : United States county name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Fairfield County, Connecticut Fairfield County
2262-928: The lowest point is sea level itself. The Taconic Mountains and the Berkshire Mountains ranges of the Appalachian Mountains run through Fairfield County. The Taconics begin roughly in Ridgefield and the Berkshires begin roughly in Northern Trumbull , both running north to Litchfield County and beyond. A portion of the Taconics also is in rural Greenwich and rural North Stamford in Fairfield County and run north into Westchester County , New York , eventually re-entering Fairfield County in Ridgefield . A small portion of
2320-425: The metropolitan statistical area as a component of the more extensive New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY–NJ–CT–PA combined statistical area , the most populous combined statistical area and primary statistical area of the United States. As is the case with all eight of Connecticut's counties, there is no county government and no county seat . As an area, it is only a geographical point of reference. In Connecticut,
2378-577: The name Fairfield . Fairfield is a descriptive name referring to the beauty of its fields. The town of Stratford was settled in 1639 as well by Adam Blakeman (1596–1665). William Beardsley (1605–1661) was also one of the first settlers of Stratford in 1639. Fairfield County was established by an act of the Connecticut General Court in Hartford along with Hartford County , New Haven County , and New London County ; which were
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2436-539: The port in Bridgeport, by passing New York City. The New York and New Haven railroad along the county's coast was constructed in the late 1840s, which started in New York City and ended in New Haven, connecting Bridgeport, Stamford, Norwalk and all the towns on the coast. In 1851, the county seat of Fairfield County was moved from the town of Fairfield to the newly founded neighboring city of Bridgeport . This
2494-443: The regional agencies are: Several former county municipal buildings are used by other state or local agencies, including: Law enforcement within the geographic area of the county is provided by the respective town police departments, whereas in other states in the region such as New York and Vermont law enforcement would be provided by the local county sheriff's department. In the less dense areas, such as Sherman , law enforcement
2552-545: The state legislature effective in December 2000. The functions the county sheriffs' departments played were assumed by the newly organized State Marshal Commission and the Connecticut Department of Corrections . These counties are used in legacy geography, such as identifying land, national statistics, and personnel rostering and court jurisdictions in the state's judicial and state marshal system. However,
2610-520: The state's eight counties. Connecticut's eight historical counties continue to exist in name only, and are no longer considered for statistical purposes. Fairfield County's Gold Coast helped rank it sixth in the U.S. in per-capita personal income by the Bureau of Economic Analysis in 2005, contributing substantially to Connecticut being one of the most affluent states in the U.S. Other communities are more densely populated and economically diverse than
2668-494: The summer of 1779, General William Tryon sought to punish Americans by attacking civilian targets in coastal Connecticut with a force of about 2,600 British troops. New Haven was raided on July 5, Fairfield was raided on the 7th and burned. Norwalk was raided on July 10 and burned on the 11th. Norwalk militia leader Captain Stephen Betts put up resistance to the invaders, but was overwhelmed by the powerful British raiders and
2726-537: The three most populous—Fairfield, Hartford and New Haven—are as to many types of jurisdiction subdivided. In 2019 the state recommended to the United States Census Bureau that the nine Councils of Governments replace its counties for statistical purposes. According to the Census Bureau, "Connecticut's COGs/Planning Regions have the authority to carry out administrative functions that are typically found among counties in other states." This proposal
2784-699: The town of Brookfield was incorporated from parts of Newtown, Danbury, and New Milford , with Fairfield County gaining territory from Litchfield County. Other early county inhabitants include: During the Revolutionary War, Connecticut's prodigious agricultural output led to it being known informally as "the Provisions State". In the spring of 1777, the British Commander-in-Chief, North America General William Howe , in New York City, ordered William Tryon to interrupt
2842-552: Was 1,410 inhabitants per square mile (540/km ). There were 339,466 housing units at an average density of 542 per square mile (209/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 79.31% White , 10.01% Black or African American , 0.20% Native American , 3.25% Asian , 0.04% Pacific Islander , 4.70% from other races , and 2.49% from two or more races. 11.88% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 17.6% were of Italian , 12.4% Irish , 6.5% German and 6.4% English ancestry. In 2010, 66.2% of Fairfield County's population
2900-464: Was 11th in the United States terms of industrial goods produced, and Fairfield County contained the city with the most total worth of products made, Bridgeport. One-fifth of Connecticut's population was employed in manufacturing, the state's largest industry which generated most of its wealth. Bridgeport in 1905 produced 20% of America's corsets. The 2nd largest city in Connecticut behind New Haven by 1910, Bridgeport's population grew by 50,000 people during
2958-765: Was adopted before the establishment of a Baptist church in the state. Jefferson replied in a letter to Dodge and the other members of the Danbury church on January 1, 1802, in which he stated that the First Amendment to the United States Constitution provided "a wall of separation between church and State " that protected them. An agricultural region, the first railroad was the Housatonic Railroad , construction started 1836 and ended 1840, extending from Bridgeport to New Milford originally, connecting Litchfield County crops to
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#17327658746803016-478: Was approved by the Census Bureau in 2022, and will be fully implemented by 2024. The United States Census Bureau formally recognized the planning regions/councils of government as county equivalents in the Federal Register on June 6, 2022. A draft notice of potential recognition would have adapted the existing FIPS codes for the eight "legacy counties", however in response to submitted comments,
3074-583: Was due to its growing population and industry as the old courthouse erected 1794 was no longer adequate. The first hospital in the county, and the 3rd hospital in Connecticut behind Hartford and New Haven Hospitals , Bridgeport Hospital was founded in 1884 along with Fairfield County's first nursing school. It would be soon followed by Danbury Hospital (1885), Norwalk Hospital (1893), Stamford Hospital (1896) Greenwich Hospital (1903), St. Vincent's Hospital in Bridgeport (1903), and Park City Hospital in Bridgeport (1926), which closed in 1993. By 1900,
3132-516: Was forced to retreat. David Sherman Boardman (1786–1864) was a prominent early lawyer and judge in this and neighboring Litchfield County. On October 7, 1801, Neheemiah Dodge and other members of the Danbury Baptist Association wrote a letter to then-president Thomas Jefferson expressing their concern that as Baptists they may not be able to express full religious liberty in the state of Connecticut whose "ancient charter"
3190-945: Was most active in Darien , but had small chapters in Norwalk, Stamford, and Bridgeport. The Klan has since disappeared from the county. The county's first institution of higher learning was Western Connecticut State University, founded in Danbury in 1903 (known by its acronym, WCSU), followed by the University of Bridgeport in 1927, Fairfield University in neighboring Fairfield in 1947 and Sacred Heart University. Nearly one-third of Fairfield County's population lived within Bridgeport's city limits in 1950, 31.5%. The city began to decline in population as families moved into nearby suburbs, such as Fairfield , leading to widespread residential development. Bridgeport slowly began to loose jobs and large corporations moved into southern states or outside
3248-560: Was named after the salt marshes that bordered the coast, while New Haven County was named for the New Haven Colony . Although Connecticut is divided into counties, there are no county-level governments, and local government in Connecticut exists solely at the municipal level. Almost all functions of county government were abolished in Connecticut in 1960, except for elected county sheriffs and their departments under them. Those offices and their departments were abolished by an act of
3306-472: Was non-Hispanic whites and 10.8% of the population was black. Asians were 4.6% of the population. Hispanics now constituted 16.9% of the population. As of 2000, 76.2% spoke English , 11.0% Spanish , 2.0% Portuguese , 1.7% Italian and 1.1% French as their first language. Some of the last group were Haitians, although other Haitians would identify Haitian Creole as their first language. There were 324,232 households, out of which 34.20% had children under
3364-402: Was razed and rebuilt it with modern skyscrapers, and several major corporations moved their headquarters to Stamford, creating one of the largest corporate concentrations in the United States. Originally a more moderate plan, entire downtown blocks and streets were demolished in slow phases and replaced with office towers, residential towers and the Stamford Town Center shopping mall courtesy of
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