New London County, Connecticut

New London County, Connecticut
Location in the state of Connecticut
Connecticut's location in the U.S.
Founded	1666
Seat	None (formerly New London); since 1960 Connecticut counties no longer have a county government
Largest town	Groton
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	771.66 sq mi (1,999 km²) 665.91 sq mi (1,725 km²) 105.75 sq mi (274 km²), 13.70%
Population  - (2020)  - Density	268,555 412/sq mi (158.9/km²)
Congressional district	2nd

New London County is a county located in the southeastern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of 2020 the population was 268,555. The total area of the county is 772 square miles (2,000 km²), including inland and coastal waters.

As is the case with all eight of Connecticut's counties, there is no county government and no county seat. In Connecticut, towns are responsible for all local government activities, including fire and rescue, snow removal and schools. In a few cases, neighboring towns will share certain resources (e.g., water, gas, etc.). New London County is merely a group of towns on a map; it has no governmental authority.

History

New London County was one of four original counties in Connecticut that were established on May 10, 1666, by an act of the Connecticut General Court. The act establishing the county states:

This Court orders that from the Paukatuck River w^th

Norridge to y^e west bounds of Homonoscet Plantation shalbe

for future one County, w^ch County is called the County of

N: London. And it is ordered that the County Court shalbe

held at N. London the first Wednesday in June and the third

Thursday in Septemb^r yearly.

As established in 1666, New London County consisted of the towns of Stonington, Norwich, New London, and Saybrook. The "Homonoscet Plantation" referred to in the constituting Act was settled in March 1663, at first as Kenilworth but incorporated as the town of Killingworth in 1667. Several new towns were incorporated and added to New London over the next few decades: Preston in 1687, Colchester in 1699, and Lebanon in 1700. The settlements along the Quinebaug Valley were placed under New London jurisdiction in 1697 (later incorporated as Plainfield in 1699). By 1717, more towns were established in northeastern Connecticut (between the Quinebaug Valley and the Rhode Island border) and added to New London County.

In 1726, Windham County was constituted, consisting of towns in northeastern Connecticut. New London County lost the towns of Voluntown, Pomfret, Killingly, Canterbury, Plainfield, and Lebanon to the newly-formed county. In 1785, Middlesex County was constituted, consisting of towns along the lower Connecticut River Valley, taking away the towns of Killingworth and Saybrook from New London County. Several additional boundary adjustments took place in the 19th century: the establishment of the town of Marlborough in 1803, the transfer of the town of Lebanon from Windham County in 1824, and the transfer of the town of Voluntown from Windham County in 1881.

Geography

According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 771.66 square miles (1,998.6 km²), of which 665.91 square miles (1,724.7 km²) (or 86.30%) is land and 105.75 square miles (273.9 km²) (or 13.70%) is water.

The terrain of the county is mostly level, becoming more elevated only in its northern extreme. The highest point in the county is Gates Hill in the Town of Lebanon at approximately 660 feet (201 m) above sea level, and the lowest point is sea level.

Adjacent counties

• Windham County (north)
• Kent County, Rhode Island (northeast)
• Washington County, Rhode Island (east)
• Middlesex County (west)
• Tolland County (northwest)
• Hartford County (northwest)
• Suffolk County, New York (south) Water boundary only, with ferry access to Fishers Island

Cities, towns, and villages*

Map of New London County, Connecticut showing cities, boroughs, towns, CDPs, and Indian Reservations

• Bozrah
• Colchester
  • Westchester
• East Lyme
  • Flanders
  • Niantic
• Franklin
• Griswold
  • Borough of Jewett City
  • Hopeville
  • Glasgo
  • Pachaug
• Groton
  • City of Groton
  • Groton Long Point
  • Long Hill
  • Mystic (also in Stonington)
  • Noank
  • Poquonock Bridge
• Lebanon
• Ledyard
  • Gales Ferry
  • Ledyard Center
• Lisbon
• Lyme
• Montville
  • Chesterfield
  • Mohegan
  • Oakdale
  • Oxoboxo River census-designated place
  • Uncasville
• New London
• North Stonington
• Norwich
• Old Lyme
• Preston
  • Poquetanuck
  • Preston City
• Salem
• Sprague
  • Baltic
• Stonington
  • Pawcatuck
  • Mystic (also in Groton)
  • Old Mystic
• Voluntown
• Waterford
  • Quaker Hill

* Villages are named localities within towns, but have no separate corporate existence from the towns they are in.

Government and municipal services

As of 1960, counties in Connecticut do not have any associated county government structure. All municipal services are provided by the towns. In order to address regional issues concerning infrastructure, land use, and economic development, regional councils of governments throughout the state were established in 1989. Most of the towns of New London County are part of the Southeastern Connecticut Council of Governments, the exceptions being the towns of Lyme, Old Lyme, and Lebanon. Lyme and Old Lyme are part of the Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency, while Lebanon is part of the Windham Regional Council of Governments.

Judicial

The geographic area of the county is coterminous with the New London judicial district, with the superior courts located in the cities of New London and Norwich.

Law enforcement

Law enforcement within the geographic area of the county is provided by the respective town police departments. Prior to 2000, a County Sheriff's Department existed for the purpose of executing judicial warrants, prisoner transport, and court security. These responsibilities have now been taken over by the Connecticut State Marshal System.

Fire protection

Fire protection in the county is provided by the towns. Several towns also have fire districts that provide services to a section of the town.

Water service

Water service to 12 of the 21 towns of New London County is provided by a regional non-profit public corporation known as the Southeastern Water Authority. The Southeastern Water Authority supplies water to participating towns within New London County and is one of only two such county-wide public water service providers in the state. Seven towns receive water service from one or more private corporations. The city of Norwich and most of the town of Groton provide for their own water service.

Garbage disposal

Several towns in New London County have organized the Southeastern Connecticut Regional Resources Recovery Authority. The participating towns are East Lyme, Griswold, Groton, Ledyard, Montville, New London, North Stonington, Norwich, Preston, Sprague, Stonington, and Waterford.

Education

Education in the county area is usually provided by the individual town governments. The less populated towns of Lyme and Old Lyme have joined together to form a single, regional school district (Region 18).

Politics

Since 1952, New London County has voted for the presidential candidate that won Connecticut.

United States presidential election results for New London County, Connecticut

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2020	57,110	40.91%	79,459	56.92%	3,035	2.17%
2016	54,058	43.76%	62,278	50.42%	7,192	5.82%
2012	46,119	40.07%	67,144	58.33%	1,839	1.60%
2008	48,491	38.83%	74,776	59.88%	1,607	1.29%
2004	49,931	42.19%	66,062	55.81%	2,367	2.00%
2000	41,168	37.72%	60,449	55.38%	7,530	6.90%
1996	33,039	32.05%	54,377	52.74%	15,679	15.21%
1992	34,567	29.35%	49,808	42.29%	33,392	28.35%
1988	52,681	51.22%	48,882	47.53%	1,288	1.25%
1984	63,121	61.59%	38,857	37.91%	509	0.50%
1980	47,217	47.96%	36,628	37.21%	14,603	14.83%
1976	47,231	50.40%	45,908	48.98%	581	0.62%
1972	58,516	63.40%	32,935	35.68%	850	0.92%
1968	37,116	44.41%	41,507	49.66%	4,951	5.92%
1964	24,391	30.88%	54,551	69.06%	49	0.06%
1960	38,070	48.38%	40,625	51.62%	1	0.00%
1956	43,453	61.40%	27,317	38.60%	0	0.00%
1952	38,148	54.76%	31,374	45.03%	148	0.21%
1948	27,416	47.42%	29,425	50.90%	973	1.68%
1944	24,153	44.94%	29,304	54.53%	285	0.53%
1940	23,389	45.18%	28,286	54.63%	98	0.19%
1936	21,367	44.79%	24,999	52.41%	1,337	2.80%
1932	19,721	49.11%	19,576	48.75%	858	2.14%
1928	21,378	56.30%	16,299	42.93%	292	0.77%
1924	18,205	62.34%	8,615	29.50%	2,381	8.15%
1920	17,422	63.31%	9,209	33.46%	889	3.23%
1916	8,283	48.51%	8,322	48.74%	469	2.75%
1912	5,543	35.13%	6,942	44.00%	3,292	20.87%
1908	9,941	59.01%	6,459	38.34%	446	2.65%
1904	10,385	58.23%	7,093	39.77%	357	2.00%
1900	9,582	57.39%	6,824	40.87%	290	1.74%
1896	8,395	66.88%	3,352	26.70%	806	6.42%
1892	6,186	49.32%	5,902	47.05%	455	3.63%
1888	6,080	49.21%	5,790	46.87%	484	3.92%
1884	5,442	46.05%	5,912	50.03%	464	3.93%

Demographics

Historical populations
Census	Pop.		%±
1790	32,918		—
1800	34,888		6.0%
1810	34,707		−0.5%
1820	35,943		3.6%
1830	42,201		17.4%
1840	44,463		5.4%
1850	51,821		16.5%
1860	61,731		19.1%
1870	66,570		7.8%
1880	73,152		9.9%
1890	76,634		4.8%
1900	82,758		8.0%
1910	91,253		10.3%
1920	104,611		14.6%
1930	118,966		13.7%
1940	125,224		5.3%
1950	144,821		15.6%
1960	185,745		28.3%
1970	230,654		24.2%
1980	238,409		3.4%
1990	254,957		6.9%
2000	259,088		1.6%
2010	274,055		5.8%
Historical census data source:

As of the census of 2000, there were 259,088 people, 99,835 households, and 67,188 families residing in the county. The population density was 389 people per square mile (150/km²). There were 110,674 housing units at an average density of 166 per square mile (64/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 87.00% White, 5.29% Black or African American, 0.96% Native American, 1.96% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 2.05% from other races, and 2.68% from two or more races. 5.11% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. 13.8% were of Irish, 12.7% Italian, 10.8% English, 7.9% German, 7.1% Polish and 6.4% French ancestry according to Census 2000. 90.1% spoke English, 4.5% Spanish and 1.1% French as their first language.

There were 99,835 households out of which 32.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.50% were married couples living together, 11.00% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.70% were non-families. 26.40% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.48 and the average family size was 3.00.

In the county the population was spread out with 24.40% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 31.20% from 25 to 44, 22.80% from 45 to 64, and 13.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 97.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $50,646, and the median income for a family was $59,857. Males had a median income of $41,292 versus $30,525 for females. The per capita income for the county was $24,678. About 4.50% of families and 6.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.80% of those under age 18 and 6.60% of those age 65 or over.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in New London County, Connecticut

External links

• National Register of Historic Places listing for New London Co., Connecticut