Is being in an area of Connecticut that’s growing quickly a good thing or a bad thing?
Depends on who you ask.
Some want bigger, more exciting cities like Bridgeport and Stamford, while others want peace and quiet like in Terryville and Pawcatuck, thank you very much.
But today, we’re going to put opinions aside and look at the cold, hard facts — since 2010, which cities in Connecticut have grown the fastest.
After getting knee-deep in the Census’s American Community Survey using Saturday Night Science, we emerged with this set of cities in the Constitution State that have people climbing over each other to get in.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Connecticut For 2026
What’s the fastest growing city in Connecticut for 2026? Based on the most recent ACS data, Bethel ranks as the fastest-growing city in Connecticut. If you happen to be a resident of Bethel, you’re probably not surprised to find it on our list.
If you’re surprised — and you’re wondering why these places are a big deal — keep reading. We’ll tell you what makes each of these 10 places in Connecticut grow like weeds.
For more Connecticut state reading:
- Best Places To Live In The United States
- Fastest Growing States In The United States
- Best Places To Live In Connecticut
- Cheapest Places To Live In Connecticut
- Most Dangerous Cities In Connecticut
The 10 Fastest Growing Cities In Connecticut For 2026
1. Bethel
/10
Population: 11,404
Population 2010: 8,799
Percent Growth 29.6%
Absolute Growth: 2,605
More on Bethel: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
2. New Milford
/10
Population: 8,188
Population 2010: 6,437
Percent Growth 27.2%
Absolute Growth: 1,751
More on New Milford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
3. Hazardville
/10
Population: 6,022
Population 2010: 4,796
Percent Growth 25.6%
Absolute Growth: 1,226
More on Hazardville: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
4. Cos Cob
/10
Population: 7,546
Population 2010: 6,126
Percent Growth 23.2%
Absolute Growth: 1,420
More on Cos Cob: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
5. Manchester
/10
Population: 36,759
Population 2010: 29,917
Percent Growth 22.9%
Absolute Growth: 6,842
More on Manchester: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
6. Cheshire Village
/10
Population: 6,172
Population 2010: 5,327
Percent Growth 15.9%
Absolute Growth: 845
More on Cheshire Village: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
7. Kensington
/10
Population: 9,962
Population 2010: 8,761
Percent Growth 13.7%
Absolute Growth: 1,201
More on Kensington: Data | Cost Of Living | Movers
8. Stamford
/10
Population: 137,144
Population 2010: 120,907
Percent Growth 13.4%
Absolute Growth: 16,237
More on Stamford: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
9. Greenwich
/10
Population: 14,792
Population 2010: 13,271
Percent Growth 11.5%
Absolute Growth: 1,521
More on Greenwich: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
10. Danbury
/10
Population: 87,263
Population 2010: 79,371
Percent Growth 9.9%
Absolute Growth: 7,892
More on Danbury: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
Methodology: How We Measured The Fastest Growing Cities In the Constitution State for 2026
To figure out which cities are growing the most, we used Saturday Night Science to look at the growth rates for cities since the beginning of the decade, according to the American Community Survey put out by the census every year. Specifically:
- Current Population
- Population in 2010
- Growth rate from 2010 to Current (The latest available data which came out in Dec 2024)
We ranked all 56 Connecticut cities with a population over 5,000 people from highest growth rate to lowest.
The city with the highest growth rate during this time was crowned the fastest-growing city in the Constitution State.
And for those of you who are a little rusty with their statistics, you can calculate the growth rate by the following formula:
[Current Population – Population 2010] / [Population 2010]
The data has been updated for 2026. This report is our eleventh time ranking the fastest growing cities in Connecticut.
Here’s a graph of the cities in Connecticut with the most significant percent increase in population:
Summary: These Places Grew Up So Fast In Connecticut, You Know?
So there you have it, the fastest growing cities in Connecticut are led by Bethel which has been growing at a blistering pace this decade relative to other cities and towns around the state.
The fastest-growing cities in Connecticut are Bethel, New Milford, Hazardville, Cos Cob, Manchester, Cheshire Village, Kensington, Stamford, Greenwich, and Danbury.
It’ll be interesting to see if these places can keep growing at the same rate over the next couple of years. We’ll be here to let you know!
These places have been growing (or shrinking) the slowest (fastest):
- Thompsonville
- Ridgefield
- Rockville
For more Connecticut reading, check out:
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Connecticut
- Safest Places In Connecticut
- Worst Places To Live In Connecticut
Fastest Growing Places In Connecticut For 2026
| Rank | City | Population | Population 2010 | Growth | Absolute Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bethel | 11,404 | 8,799 | 29.6% | 2,605 |
| 2 | New Milford | 8,188 | 6,437 | 27.2% | 1,751 |
| 3 | Hazardville | 6,022 | 4,796 | 25.6% | 1,226 |
| 4 | Cos Cob | 7,546 | 6,126 | 23.2% | 1,420 |
| 5 | Manchester | 36,759 | 29,917 | 22.9% | 6,842 |
| 6 | Cheshire Village | 6,172 | 5,327 | 15.9% | 845 |
| 7 | Kensington | 9,962 | 8,761 | 13.7% | 1,201 |
| 8 | Stamford | 137,144 | 120,907 | 13.4% | 16,237 |
| 9 | Greenwich | 14,792 | 13,271 | 11.5% | 1,521 |
| 10 | Danbury | 87,263 | 79,371 | 9.9% | 7,892 |