Greenwich's Population Growing Modestly According To Census Data

Greenwich CT

16 August, 2021

1:45 PM

Description

GREENWICH, CT — According to recently released data from the U.S. Census Bureau on the 2020 census, the Greenwich population is growing. From 2010 to 2020, the Greenwich population increased by 3.8 percent from 61,171 residents, to 63,518. The count places Greenwich as the 10th largest community in Connecticut. For First Selectman Fred Camillo, the population growth isn't unexpected. "It kind of reflects what we're seeing all over the state and all over the country," he said. "What was a little surprising was the speed in which we saw an increase in population. In 1969, we had 59,000 people here and we had an increase of maybe 3,000 people in over 50 years. In the last year, we went to about 63,500 people. That's a thousand people roughly in a year." With the COVID-19 pandemic, many people moved out of New York City and other urban areas. Greenwich has been a beneficiary, as it's the gateway to New England near the New York border. Connecticut Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said last week she was "encouraged" by the overall state data. Connecticut gained 31,847 residents, and the population of the state's three largest cities — Bridgeport, New Haven and Stamford — grew over the past decade. Connecticut tallied a 99.9 percent overall response rate for the 2020 census, which exceeded the national average. Connecticut's 70.6 percent self-response rate exceeded Connecticut's 2010's self-response rate of 69.5 percent. As chair of Connecticut's Complete Count Committee, Bysiewicz was tasked with overseeing census outreach efforts around the state. According to the census data, the state is also becoming more diverse; the number of hispanic residents has grown in the state by 30 percent over the last decade. There are also increases in the number of people who are Black or Asian. Additionally, the white population has declined by 377,282 since 2010. "As Connecticut continues to be an attractive destination for new families, and as we continue to come back from the pandemic, our state's count in the 2020 census will be a critical milestone which will ensure that our state gets its fair share of federal resources. By producing the most complete count possible, the 2020 census results will bring billions of dollars in federal resources to Connecticut for education, healthcare, transportation, and more," Bysiewicz said in a news release last week. "I want to extend my thanks to the 135 local Complete Count Committees, the many grassroots and community organizations, our State Agencies, and the incredibly dedicated Connecticut census workers, who collectively stepped up to organize this effort amidst a pandemic and helped produce the most comprehensive census count in our state's history."