Wallingford is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region. It is also part of the larger New York Metropolitan Area. In 2020, about 44,396 people lived here. The town was named after Wallingford, a town in England.

History of Wallingford

Wallingford, Connecticut, has a rich history from early America. It was founded on October 10, 1667, by the Connecticut General Assembly. A group of 38 settlers, called "planters and freemen," started the town. Important people like John Moss, Samuel Street, and Robert Wallace were among them.

The first settlers chose a good spot near the Quinnipiac River. This area is now known as Main Street. By May 12, 1670, 126 people lived in temporary homes. By 1675, 40 permanent houses were built. This showed the town was growing and becoming stable.

Early Settlers and Yale University

One of Wallingford’s first settlers was Thomas Yale. He was an important person in the New Haven Colony. He was also an ancestor of Elihu Yale, who helped start Yale University. Thomas Yale signed the agreement to establish Wallingford in 1667.

Witchcraft Trials and Independence

In 1697, Wallingford was the site of New England's last witchcraft trial. A woman named Winifred Benham was accused of being a witch. She was tried three times in Wallingford but was found innocent each time. This event marked the end of witch trials in the area. It showed that fears about witchcraft were fading.

The town also played a big part in America’s fight for freedom. Lyman Hall was born in Wallingford in 1724. He became a doctor and a leader. He represented Georgia in the Continental Congress. Hall was one of the people who signed the Declaration of Independence. This shows Wallingford's strong connection to the founding of the United States.

Growth and Industry

In the 1800s, Wallingford changed from a farming town to an industrial one. The railroad arrived in the 1840s. This helped the town grow even faster. The railroad connected Wallingford to bigger markets. It made it easier to transport goods, like the town's famous silver products. This also led to new industries starting up.

Wallingford became well-known for making silver. Companies like Hall, Elton & Co., Simpson, Hall, Miller & Co., and R. Wallace & Sons became famous across the country. Samuel Simpson was a key person in this industry. He was a local business owner and helped the community. He played a big part in Wallingford becoming a center for silver manufacturing. His company, Simpson, Hall, Miller & Co., became a top producer of silverware. Samuel Simpson's work helped make Wallingford a major place for silver production. His company later joined the International Silver Company. This made the region a global leader in silver manufacturing.

In the 1800s, Moses Y. Beach was also born in Wallingford. He became a very important person in American journalism. Born in 1800, Beach later owned the New York Sun newspaper. He was known for creating the "penny press," which made newspapers cheap for everyone. He also helped start the Associated Press.

A Devastating Tornado

However, Wallingford also faced a terrible event. On August 9, 1878, a powerful tornado hit the town. It caused a lot of damage and killed at least 29 people, possibly as many as 34. This tornado is still the deadliest in Connecticut's history. The disaster had a lasting effect on the community.

Modern Wallingford

In the 1900s, Wallingford became more of a residential town. It still kept its different types of businesses. After World War II, many more people moved to Wallingford. This was part of a big growth in suburbs across America. New neighborhoods were built, attracting families. They wanted a mix of city conveniences and small-town charm.

Even with more homes, Wallingford continued to attract businesses. It kept a strong economy. The town became a center for many industries. These included medical, healthcare, high-tech manufacturing, and research. Several industrial parks were built, like Barnes Industrial Park and MedWay Industrial Park. These parks brought many businesses to Wallingford. This helped the town's economy grow even more. An "Interchange Zone" was created where Interstate 91 and Route 68 meet. This helped office parks, research centers, and hotels grow. It made Wallingford an important economic center in the region.

One major company in Wallingford was Bristol-Myers Squibb. This pharmaceutical company had a research facility in MedWay Industrial Park. It was the town's largest taxpayer and a big part of its economy. However, in 2017, Bristol-Myers Squibb moved its operations. The facility was torn down in 2018.

New York Insulated Wire Company, 1910.
Library and Marlborough House, c. 1909.
Bridge and falls at Quinnipiac River in Wallingford, 1907.

Education

Wallingford has its own public school district. It includes several elementary schools. There are two middle schools: Dag Hammarskjold and James H. Moran. The town also has two high schools: Mark T. Sheehan and Lyman Hall.

The school district offers many different programs. These include Advanced Placement (AP) courses, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education, and arts programs. Lyman Hall High School has a special agricultural science program. The district also helps students with special needs and those learning English. It offers many sports, like football, soccer, basketball, and track and field.

Choate Rosemary Hall Campus

Private Schools

Wallingford is also home to three private schools:

Choate Rosemary Hall: This is a private school where both boys and girls learn together. It prepares students for college and offers boarding (students live at the school).
Heritage Baptist Academy
Holy Trinity School

Geography

Wallingford covers about 39.9 square miles (103.3 km²). Most of this area, 39.0 square miles (101.1 km²), is land. The rest, 0.9 square miles (2.2 km²), is water.

The town is located along the Quinnipiac River in northern New Haven County. It is about 90 miles northeast of New York City. Wallingford is about 5 miles south of Meriden. It is also about 13 miles north of New Haven.

Neighboring Towns

Wallingford shares borders with several other towns:

Cheshire
Durham
Hamden
Meriden
Middlefield
North Branford
North Haven

Major Roads

Wallingford is located in the area between Hartford, New Haven, and Springfield, Massachusetts. Several important roads pass through the town:

U.S. Route 5
Interstate 91
State Highways Route 15 (Wilbur Cross Parkway)
Route 68
Route 71
Route 150

Main Communities

Wallingford has several main communities within its borders:

East Wallingford
Quinnipiac (partly in North Haven)
Tracy
Wallingford Center
Yalesville

Demographics

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1820	2,237	—
1850	2,595	—
1860	3,206	23.5%
1870	3,676	14.7%
1880	4,686	27.5%
1890	6,584	40.5%
1900	9,001	36.7%
1910	11,155	23.9%
1920	12,010	7.7%
1930	14,278	18.9%
1940	14,788	3.6%
1950	16,976	14.8%
1960	29,920	76.2%
1970	35,714	19.4%
1980	37,274	4.4%
1990	40,822	9.5%
2000	43,026	5.4%
2010	45,135	4.9%
2020	44,396	−1.6%
U.S. Decennial Census

In 2022, Wallingford had about 44,446 residents. Most residents (80.2%) are white. About 11.6% are Hispanic, and 4.4% are Asian. The median age in Wallingford is 44.3 years old. This means there is a mix of families and young working adults. About 63% of households are families. Of these, 24% have children living at home.

In 2023, the median household income in Wallingford was $101,572. The median family income was $123,493. The average household income was $120,987, and the average family income was $145,477. Wallingford's income is much higher than the national average. This puts it among the top 25% of households in the U.S.

Economy

Top Employers

Here are the top employers in Wallingford, based on the town's 2022 financial report:

#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Town of Wallingford	1,478
2	Anthem BC/BS	1,225
3	Gaylord Hospital	529
4	Community Health Network of CT	438
5	Masonic Healthcare Center	417
6	Choate Rosemary Hall	299
7	Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc.	215
8	BYK	197
9	Thurston Foods Inc	169
10	Fosdick Fulfillment Corp	157

Transportation

Wallingford train station is served by the Hartford Line and Amtrak

Mass Transit

Wallingford is on the New Haven–Springfield Line. This means there are daily passenger trains going north and south. You can travel directly to New York City. You can also get to Boston by changing trains in New Haven. The Wallingford station is served by CT Rail's Hartford Line trains. It is also served by Amtrak's Hartford Line, Northeast Regional, and Valley Flyer trains.

Airports

The closest commercial airports to Wallingford are:

Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN) in East Haven
Westchester County Airport in Westchester County
Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Windsor Locks

Municipal Electric Utility

The Wallingford Electric Division (WED) is a special company owned by the town. It provides electricity to all homes and businesses in Wallingford. WED was started in 1899. It is one of the few electric companies in Connecticut owned by a town. It is known for offering reliable service at good prices.

WED is in charge of making, distributing, and maintaining the town's electricity system. It focuses on being efficient and dependable. The Public Utilities Commission of Wallingford oversees WED. They manage its operations, money, and future plans. WED's goal is to provide affordable and reliable electricity. It also aims to meet the changing needs of the community.

Sports

In 1943 and 1944, the Boston Braves baseball team held their spring training in Wallingford. They trained at Choate's Winter Exercise Building. The town is also home to the Connecticut Bearcats. This is a team in the New England Football League.

Notable People

Erich Auerbach, German language expert
Moses Yale Beach, American inventor, business owner, and publisher. He started the Associated Press.
William Yale Beach, early banker in Wallingford, son of Moses Yale Beach
Stephen R. Bradley, United States Senator
Michael Buckley, YouTuber
Mary Atwater Choate, co-founded Choate Rosemary Hall school
William Gardner Choate, American judge, co-founded Choate Rosemary Hall school
Bates Cooke, US Congressman
D.J. Cotrona, actor
Pasquale DeBaise (1926–2022), businessman and Connecticut state politician
Beverly Donofrio, author
Morton Downey, singer, businessman
Morton Downey, Jr. (1932–2001), talk show host
Lauren Geremia, interior designer
Robert Gober, influential contemporary artist
Lyman Hall, an American Founding Father, doctor, and signer of the Declaration of Independence
Dorothy Kosinski, art scholar
Raoul Lufbery, World War I flying ace
John A. McGuire, member of the United States House of Representatives
Art Nugent, cartoonist, creator of Uncle Art's Funland
Jay Allen Sanford, author and cartoonist
Samuel Simpson, silversmith business owner
Hilton Valentine (1943–2021), musician from The Animals, moved to Wallingford in 1977
Theophilus Yale, captain, judge, and early settler of Wallingford
Elihu Yale, captain, pioneer bayonet maker in Connecticut
Charles Dwight Yale, Connecticut State Senator, businessman, co-owner of Simpson, Hall, Miller & Co.
Thomas Yale, one of the co-founders of Wallingford

Points of Interest

Paul Mellon Arts Center, designed by I. M. Pei.

Choate Rosemary Hall
Oakdale Theatre
Paul Mellon Arts Center
Yalesville Underpass

National Register of Historic Places

Ten buildings and areas in Wallingford are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historical sites:

Center Street Cemetery, added August 1, 1997
Franklin Johnson House, added November 23, 1998
John Barker House, added August 3, 1974
Joseph Blakeslee House, added April 13, 1998
Nehemiah Royce House, added August 24, 1998
Samuel Parsons House, added April 12, 1982
Samuel Simpson House, added June 18, 1986
Theophilus Jones House, added January 30, 1992
Wallingford Center Historic District, added December 2, 1993
Wallingford railroad station, added November 19, 1993

Wallingford, Connecticut facts for kids

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