This article shows U.S. Census totals for New Haven County, Connecticut, broken down by municipality, from 1900 to 2000.

Like most areas of New England

New England

New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...

, New Haven County

New Haven County, Connecticut

New Haven County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2010 Census, the county population is 862,477 making it the third most populated county in Connecticut. There are 1,340 people per square mile...

 is (and has been at all times since well before the 20th century) entirely divided into incorporated municipalities. There is no unincorporated territory.

There are three types of municipalities in Connecticut: towns, boroughs and cities. As in the other New England states, towns are the basic unit of municipal government.

Boroughs overlay towns and assume responsibility for some municipal services within their boundaries. Boroughs are not found in any of the other New England states, and are not very common in Connecticut today, although they were somewhat more numerous in the past. A number of boroughs have disincorporated over the years, choosing to revert back to full town control.

Cities also overlay towns. This is different from the other New England states, where cities are a different type of municipality equivalent to a town (this difference is related to cities having originally developed in Connecticut from the borough model). Most current cities are coextensive with their parent town, however, such that the entire municipality functions as a city. In practice, these cities are really no different from cities in the other New England states.

It is also possible for a city in Connecticut to overlay part, but not all, of a town. There are currently only one or two examples, but it was a more common arrangement in the past. Many of today’s coextensive cities were non-coextensive at one time. As with boroughs, a number of non-coextensive cities have also disincorporated over the years, choosing to revert back to full town control.

The main tables below show municipalities at the town level. For any census, adding up the totals for each town should yield the county total. In cases where a community encompassed a coextensive city, the tables in the New England Historical U.S. Census Totals series mark the community as a city. In cases where a town included a non-coextensive city, the total shown below represents the entire town, including but not limited to the city. A separate section follows with population totals for boroughs and non-coextensive cities.

For more information on the New England municipal system, see New England town

New England town

The New England town is the basic unit of local government in each of the six New England states. Without a direct counterpart in most other U.S. states, New England towns are conceptually similar to civil townships in other states, but are incorporated, possessing powers like cities in other...

.

Corporate changes since 1900

• 1902 – Waterbury became a coextensive city (Note: before this time, there had been a city of Waterbury within, but not coextensive with, the town of Waterbury)

• 1921 – New town of West Haven formed from Orange

• 1922 – Meriden became a coextensive city (Note: before this time, there had been a city of Meriden within, but not coextensive with, the town of Meriden)

• 1957 – Milford became a coextensive city (Note: there was no predecessor city or borough of Milford within the town)

• 1961 – West Haven became a coextensive city (Note: there was no predecessor city or borough of West Haven within the town)

1900

County Total: 269,163

• New Haven (city) 108,027
• Waterbury (*) 51,139
• Meriden (*) 28,695
• Ansonia (city) 12,681
• Naugatuck 10,541
• Wallingford 9,001
• Derby (city) 7,930
• Orange 6,995
• Branford 5,706
• Hamden 4,626
• Milford 3,783
• Seymour 3,541
• Guilford 2,785
• North Haven 2,164
• Cheshire 1,989
• East Haven 1,167
• Madison 1,518
• Southbury 1,238
• Oxford 952
• Woodbridge 852
• North Branford 814
• Middlebury 736
• Beacon Falls 623
• Wolcott 581
• Prospect 562
• Bethany 517

(*) not a city in its entirety, but includes a non-coextensive city that encompasses a significant percentage of the town's overall population.

1910

County Total: 337,282

• New Haven (city) 133,605
• Waterbury (city) 73,141
• Meriden (*) 32,066
• Ansonia (city) 15,152
• Naugatuck 12,722
• Orange 11,272
• Wallingford 11,155
• Derby (city) 8,991
• Branford 6,047
• Hamden 5,850
• Seymour 4,786
• Milford 4,366
• Guilford 3,001
• North Haven 2,254
• Cheshire 1,988
• East Haven 1,795
• Madison 1,534
• Southbury 1,233
• Beacon Falls 1,160
• Oxford 1,020
• Woodbridge 878
• Middlebury 836
• North Branford 833
• Wolcott 563
• Prospect 539
• Bethany 495

(*) not a city in its entirety, but includes a non-coextensive city that encompasses a significant percentage of the town's overall population.

1920

County Total: 415,214

• New Haven (city) 162,537
• Waterbury (city) 91,715
• Meriden (*) 34,764
• Ansonia (city) 17,643
• Orange 16,614
• Naugatuck 15,051
• Wallingford 12,010
• Derby (city) 11,238
• Milford 10,193
• Hamden 8,611
• Seymour 6,781
• Branford 6,627
• East Haven 3,520
• Cheshire 2,855
• Guilford 2,803
• North Haven 1,968
• Madison 1,857
• Beacon Falls 1.593
• Woodbridge 1,170
• North Branford 1,110
• Southbury 1,093
• Middlebury 1,067
• Oxford 998
• Wolcott 719
• Bethany 411
• Prospect 266

(*) not a city in its entirety, but includes a non-coextensive city that encompasses a significant percentage of the town's overall population.

1930

County Total: 463,449

• New Haven (city) 162,655
• Waterbury (city) 99,902
• Meriden (city) 38,481
• West Haven 25,808
• Ansonia (city) 19,898
• Hamden 19,020
• Naugatuck 14,315
• Wallingford 14,278
• Milford 12,660
• Derby (city) 10,788
• East Haven 7,815
• Branford 7,022
• Seymour 6,890
• North Haven 3,730
• Cheshire 3,263
• Guilford 3,117
• Madison 1,918
• Beacon Falls 1,693
• Woodbridge 1,630
• Orange 1,530
• Middlebury 1,449
• North Branford 1,329
• Oxford 1,141
• Southbury 1,134
• Wolcott 972
• Prospect 531
• Bethany 480

1940

County Total: 484,316

• New Haven (city) 160,605
• Waterbury (city) 99,314
• Meriden (city) 39,494
• West Haven 30,021
• Hamden 23,373
• Ansonia (city) 19,210
• Milford 16,439
• Naugatuck 15,388
• Wallingford 14,788
• Derby (city) 10,287
• East Haven 9,094
• Branford 8,060
• Seymour 6,754
• North Haven 5,326
• Cheshire 4,352
• Guilford 3,544
• Woodbridge 2,262
• Madison 2,245
• Middlebury 2,173
• Orange 2,009
• Wolcott 1,765
• Beacon Falls 1,756
• Southbury 1,532
• North Branford 1,438
• Oxford 1,375
• Prospect 1,006
• Bethany 706

1950

County Total: 545,784

• New Haven (city) 164,443
• Waterbury (city) 104,477
• Meriden (city) 44,088
• West Haven 32,010
• Hamden 29,715
• Milford 26,870
• Ansonia (city) 18,706
• Naugatuck 17,455
• Wallingford 16,976
• East Haven 12,212
• Branford 10,944
• Derby (city) 10,259
• North Haven 9,444
• Seymour 7,832
• Cheshire 6,295
• Guilford 5,092
• Southbury 3,828
• Wolcott 3,553
• Middlebury 3,318
• Madison 3,078
• Orange 3,032
• Woodbridge 2,822
• Beacon Falls 2,067
• Oxford 2,037
• North Branford 2,017
• Prospect 1,896
• Bethany 1,318

1960

County Total: 660,315

• New Haven (city) 152,048
• Waterbury (city) 107,130
• Meriden (city) 51,850
• West Haven 43,002
• Milford (city) 41,662
• Hamden 41,056
• Wallingford 29,920
• East Haven 21,388
• Ansonia (city) 19,819
• Naugatuck 19,511
• Branford 16,610
• North Haven 15,935
• Cheshire 13,383
• Derby (city) 12,132
• Seymour 10,100
• Wolcott 8,889
• Orange 8,547
• Guilford 7,913
• North Branford 6,771
• Southbury 5,186
• Woodbridge 5,182
• Middlebury 4,785
• Madison 4,567
• Prospect 4,367
• Oxford 3,292
• Beacon Falls 2,886
• Bethany 2,384

1970

County Total: 744,948

• New Haven (city) 137,707
• Waterbury (city) 108,033
• Meriden (city) 55,959
• West Haven (city) 52,851
• Milford (city) 50,858
• Hamden 49,357
• Wallingford 35,714
• East Haven 25,120
• Naugatuck 23,034
• North Haven 22,194
• Ansonia (city) 21,160
• Branford 20,444
• Cheshire 19,051
• Orange 13,524
• Seymour 12,776
• Derby (city) 12,599
• Wolcott 12,495
• Guilford 12,033
• North Branford 10,778
• Madison 9,768
• Southbury 7,852
• Woodbridge 7,673
• Prospect 6,543
• Middlebury 5,542
• Oxford 4,480
• Bethany 3,857
• Beacon Falls 3,546

1980

County Total: 761,325

• New Haven (city) 126,089
• Waterbury (city) 103,266
• Meriden (city) 57,118
• West Haven (city) 53,184
• Hamden 51,071
• Milford (city) 50,898
• Wallingford 37,274
• Naugatuck 26,456
• East Haven 25,036
• Branford 23,363
• North Haven 22,080
• Cheshire 21,788
• Ansonia (city) 19,039
• Guilford 17,375
• Southbury 14,156
• Madison 14,031
• Seymour 13,434
• Orange 13,237
• Wolcott 13,008
• Derby (city) 12,346
• North Branford 11,554
• Woodbridge 7,761
• Prospect 6,807
• Oxford 6,634
• Middlebury 5,995
• Bethany 4,330
• Beacon Falls 3,995

1990

County Total: 804,219

• New Haven (city) 130,474
• Waterbury (city) 108,961
• Meriden (city) 59,479
• West Haven (city) 54,021
• Hamden 52,434
• Milford (city) 49,938
• Wallingford 40,822
• Naugatuck 30,625
• Branford 27,603
• East Haven 26,144
• Cheshire 25,684
• North Haven 22,247
• Guilford 19,848
• Ansonia (city) 18,403
• Southbury 15,818
• Madison 15,485
• Seymour 14,288
• Wolcott 13,700
• Orange 12,830
• North Branford 12,996
• Derby (city) 12,199
• Oxford 8,685
• Woodbridge 7,924
• Prospect 7,775
• Middlebury 6,145
• Beacon Falls 5,083
• Bethany 4,608

2000

County Total: 824,008

• New Haven (city) 123,776
• Waterbury (city) 107,271
• Meriden (city) 58,244
• Hamden 56,763
• West Haven (city) 52,360
• Milford (city) 52,305
• Wallingford 43,026
• Naugatuck 30,989
• Branford 28,683
• Cheshire 28,543
• East Haven 28,189
• North Haven 23,035
• Guilford 21,398
• Southbury 18,567
• Ansonia (city) 18,554
• Madison 17,858
• Seymour 15,454
• Wolcott 15,215
• North Branford 13,906
• Orange 13,233
• Derby (city) 12,391
• Oxford 9,821
• Woodbridge 8,983
• Prospect 8,707
• Middlebury 6,451
• Beacon Falls 5,246
• Bethany 5,040

Boroughs and Non-coextensive Cities

As of 1900, New Haven County contained five boroughs and two non-coextensive cities:

• The borough of Branford, within the town of the same name

• The borough of Guilford, within the town of the same name

• The borough of Naugatuck, coextensive with the town of the same name

• The borough of Wallingford, within the town of the same name

• The borough of West Haven, within the town of Orange

• The city of Meriden, within the town of the same name

• The city of Waterbury, within the town of the same name

In addition to the above, there were three more cities in the county which had already been made coextensive with their parent town (New Haven, Ansonia and Derby). In 1902, Waterbury, which at the time was by far the largest non-coextensive city in the state, finally became coextensive with its parent town.

The borough and town of Naugatuck have been coextensive since at or shortly after the borough's incorporation. Naugutuck is the only borough in Connecticut which has ever been coextensive with its parent town. A sixth borough, Woodmont (within the town of Milford), was incorporated in 1903. The following changes have occurred since then:

• 1911 – The borough of West Haven disincorporated

• 1922 – The city of Meriden became coextensive with its parent town

• 1941 – The borough of Guilford disincorporated

• 1958 – The borough of Wallingford disincorporated

• The borough of Branford disincorporated sometime between 1970 and 1980

The 1910 and 1920 Census reports make reference to a borough called Fair Haven East, which is stated to be within the city of New Haven in 1910, and within the city of New Haven and town of East Haven in 1920. Its population was not tabulated in either census, apparently because boroughs and cities both fall within the same census category (incorporated places), and Census methodology of the time would not allow one to be within another. Fair Haven East is not mentioned in the 1900 or 1930 reports, and no details are provided on how or when it was created or ceased to exist.

1900

• Waterbury (city) 45,859
• Meriden (city) 24,296
• Naugatuck (borough) 10,541
• Wallingford (borough) 6,737
• West Haven (borough) 5,247
• Branford (borough) 2,473
• Guilford (borough) 1,512

1910

• Meriden (city) 27,265
• Naugatuck (borough) 12,722
• Wallingford (borough) 8,690
• West Haven (borough) 8,543
• Branford (borough) 2,560
• Guilford (borough) 1,608
• Woodmont (borough) 194

1920

• Meriden (city) 29,867
• Naugatuck (borough) 15,051
• Wallingford (borough) 9,648
• Branford (borough) 2,619
• Guilford (borough) 1,612
• Woodmont (borough) 220

1930

• Naugatuck (borough) 14,315
• Wallingford (borough) 11,170
• Branford (borough) 2,365
• Guilford (borough) 1,880
• Woodmont (borough) 531

1940

• Naugatuck (borough) 15,388
• Wallingford (borough) 11,425
• Branford (borough) 2,235
• Guilford (borough) 1,986
• Woodmont (borough) 748

1950

• Naugatuck (borough) 17,455
• Wallingford (borough) 11,994
• Branford (borough) 2,552
• Woodmont (borough) not reported

1960

• Naugatuck (borough) 19,511
• Branford (borough) 2,371
• Woodmont (borough) not reported

1970

• Naugatuck (borough) 23,034
• Woodmont (borough) 2,114
• Branford (borough) 2,080

1980

• Naugatuck (borough) 26,456
• Woodmont (borough) 1,797

1990

• Naugatuck (borough) 30,625
• Woodmont (borough) 1,770

2000

• Naugatuck (borough) 30,989
• Woodmont (borough) 1,711

Note: The population of the borough of Woodmont was not reported separately from the town of Milford in the 1950 and 1960 Censuses. It is not clear why.