Greater Bridgeport facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Southwestern Connecticut
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| Stamford-Bridgeport-Norwalk-Danbury Metropolitan Statistical Area | |
Downtown Bridgeport, the region's largest city, seen from I-95
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Location of Fairfield County in Connecticut
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| Country | United States |
| State(s) | Connecticut |
| Largest city | Bridgeport |
| Other cities | - Stamford - Norwalk - Danbury |
| Area | |
| • Total | 625.8 sq mi (1,621 km2) |
| Population
(2015)
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| • Total | 948,053 |
| • Rank | 57th in the U.S. |
| • Density | 1,514.9/sq mi (584.9/km2) |
| GDP | |
| • MSA | $104.368 billion (2022) |
Southwestern Connecticut is an important area in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It's often called the Stamford-Bridgeport-Norwalk area. This region includes the city of Bridgeport and five towns around it: Easton, Fairfield, Monroe, Stratford, and Trumbull.
This part of Connecticut is home to over 948,000 people. It's also considered part of the much larger New York-Newark Combined Statistical Area. This means many people who live here might work in or travel to New York City.
Southwestern Connecticut is the fourth largest metropolitan area in New England. Only the areas around Boston, Providence, and Hartford are bigger. It includes Connecticut's two largest cities: Bridgeport and Stamford. This region is also known for having many big company headquarters.
Contents
What is Southwestern Connecticut?
When people talk about Southwestern Connecticut, they might mean slightly different areas. Here are some common ways to define it:
Greater Bridgeport Region
The smallest official area is called the Greater Bridgeport Region. It includes Bridgeport and the five towns mentioned earlier. This region has its own planning agency. This agency helps with things like transportation, land use, and economic growth for these towns.
Fairfield County Area
The largest definition of this area includes all of Fairfield County. This county has 23 towns and cities. It's often called the Bridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk–Danbury Metropolitan Statistical Area. This area is similar in size to another definition called the New England City and Town Area (NECTA). The NECTA includes 25 towns, covering the Greater Bridgeport Region, the Gold Coast, and other nearby towns.
Economy of the Region
Southwestern Connecticut is a very important place for businesses. Many large companies have their main offices here. For example, Emcor, Xerox, and Booking Holdings are in Norwalk. Charter Communications, Synchrony Financial, United Rentals, and Frontier Communications are in Stamford. XPO Logistics is in Greenwich.
The coastal part of this area is known as the Gold Coast. It's famous for being one of the wealthiest areas in the U.S. Many people who work on Wall Street in New York City live here.
Stamford is a big hub for entertainment companies. WWE, NBC Sports Group, and CBS Sports HQ have studios here. This is partly because Connecticut offers special tax benefits for film and TV companies. Shows like Maury, Jerry Springer, and The Steve Wilkos Show are filmed in downtown Stamford.
While some older factories have closed, some big industrial companies are still here. Sikorsky Aircraft, which makes helicopters, is in Stratford. Hubbell Incorporated is in Shelton.
Other well-known companies in the area include:
- GXO Logistics (Greenwich)
- GE Capital (Norwalk)
- Pitney Bowes (Stamford)
- Indeed.com (Stamford)
- Conair Corporation (Stamford)
- BlueTriton Brands (Stamford)
- Gartner (Stamford)
- Kayak (Stamford)
- Vineyard Vines (Stamford)
- Bigelow Tea Company (Fairfield)
- Subway (Milford)
- Ethan Allen Furniture (Danbury)
- Duracell (Bethel)
Getting Around: Transportation
It's easy to travel around Southwestern Connecticut and to New York City.
Trains
The Metro-North railroad is a popular way to commute. It connects towns along the coast to New York City. There are also special lines like the New Canaan Line and Waterbury Line. These connect northern Fairfield County and the Naugatuck Valley to New York City. You can also catch Shore Line East and Amtrak trains from the Bridgeport and Stamford stations.
Buses
Several bus companies help people get around. The Greater Bridgeport Transit Authority serves Bridgeport and nearby towns like Trumbull, Stratford, and Milford. These buses connect with the Norwalk and Milford Transit systems. The Norwalk Transit District can take riders as far north as Danbury and west as Greenwich. CT Transit operates buses in Stamford, Greenwich, and other towns.
Airports
For longer trips, people usually use airports in New York City or Bradley Airport in Connecticut. Closer regional airports include Westchester County Airport in New York and Tweed Airport in New Haven. There have been talks about bringing back commercial flights to Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford. This airport stopped commercial flights in 1999.
Colleges and Universities
Southwestern Connecticut has many great places for higher education.
Universities and Colleges
- Western Connecticut State University in Danbury, started in 1903.
- University of Bridgeport in Bridgeport, started in 1927.
- Fairfield University in Fairfield, started in 1942.
- Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, started in 1963.
- The University of Connecticut has a campus in Stamford. Sacred Heart University also has a campus there.
Community Colleges
- Housatonic Community College in Bridgeport.
- Norwalk Community College in Norwalk.
