Burlington, Connecticut | |
|---|---|
 Brown Tavern | |
 Seal | |
| Motto: "A Town Where Community Counts" | |
 Hartford County and Connecticut Northwest Hills Planning Region and Connecticut | |
 Show Burlington Show Connecticut Show the United States | |
| Coordinates:41°45′31″N72°57′28″W / 41.75861°N 72.95778°W /41.75861; -72.95778 | |
| Country |  United States |
| U.S. state |  Connecticut |
| County | Hartford |
| Region | Northwest Hills |
| Incorporated | 1806 |
| Hamlets | Burlington Covey Corners Lake Garda Whigville |
| Government | |
| • Type | Selectman-town meeting |
| • First Selectman | Douglas Thompson (R)[1] |
| • Selectmen | James A. Chard (R) David Goshdigian (D) Joshua Y. Plourde (I) Thomas E. Zabel (D) |
| Area | |
• Total | 30.4 sq mi (78.8 km2) |
| • Land | 29.7 sq mi (77.0 km2) |
| • Water | 0.66 sq mi (1.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 817 ft (249 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 9,519 |
| • Density | 320.2/sq mi (123.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (EST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code | 06013 |
| Area codes | 860/959 |
| FIPS code | 09-10100 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0213401[2] |
| U.S. Routes |  |
| Website | www |
Burlington is atown inHartford County,Connecticut, United States. Situated at the foot ofthe Berkshires and bordering theFarmington River, it is a scenic hill town, rural in nature, located 20 miles (32 km) west ofHartford. Incorporated in 1806, the population was 9,519 at the 2020 census.[3] The town is part of theNorthwest Hills Planning Region.
The area that includes present-day Burlington was originally inhabited by theTunxis tribe.[4]
The town was once part of largerFarmington Plantation. In 1785, it split away and became a part of the town ofBristol. On June 16, 1806, Burlington became a town in its own right.[5] Cottage industries flourished in the early decades of the town, including multiple clock-making operations. Upon the completion of theFarmington Canal in 1829, many industries ceased operations or moved to neighboring towns.[6]
In 1968, the remainder of theNew Haven and Northampton Railroad branch that originally went toNew Hartford and passed through Burlington was abandoned due to The Collins Company shutting down nearby factory operations in 1966.[7] The existing railway has since been converted into a multi-use pavedrail trail that is a part of theNew Haven and Northampton Canal Greenway.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 30.4 square miles (78.8 km2), of which 29.7 square miles (77.0 km2) is land and 0.66 square miles (1.7 km2), or 2.19%, is water.[8] Almost half of the land in the town is owned by three public water supply companies and the State of Connecticut.
Burlington is home to the State of ConnecticutFish Hatchery,Nassahegon State Forest, theNepaug Reservoir, andSessions Woods Wildlife Management Area.Johnnycake Mountain is the highest point in the town at 1,165 ft (355 m).[9] TheTunxis Trail runs through the town north to south.[10]
Burlington presently borders the municipalities ofAvon,Bristol,Canton,Farmington,Harwinton,New Hartford, andPlymouth.
According to theKöppen Climate Classification system, Burlington has awarm-summer humid continental climate, abbreviated "Dfb" on climate maps. The hottest temperature recorded in Burlington was 100 °F (37.8 °C) on July 21–22, 1991, July 23, 2011, and June 24, 2025, while the coldest temperature recorded was −25 °F (−31.7 °C) on February 14, 2016.[11]
| Climate data for Burlington, Connecticut, 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1961–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 72 (22) | 80 (27) | 83 (28) | 94 (34) | 95 (35) | 100 (38) | 100 (38) | 98 (37) | 97 (36) | 89 (32) | 83 (28) | 75 (24) | 100 (38) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 57.3 (14.1) | 58.9 (14.9) | 67.0 (19.4) | 82.3 (27.9) | 88.8 (31.6) | 91.7 (33.2) | 93.5 (34.2) | 91.5 (33.1) | 88.2 (31.2) | 79.6 (26.4) | 70.6 (21.4) | 60.5 (15.8) | 95.5 (35.3) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 36.3 (2.4) | 39.1 (3.9) | 46.6 (8.1) | 59.5 (15.3) | 70.4 (21.3) | 78.5 (25.8) | 83.7 (28.7) | 82.0 (27.8) | 75.3 (24.1) | 63.3 (17.4) | 52.1 (11.2) | 41.4 (5.2) | 60.7 (15.9) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 26.6 (−3.0) | 28.7 (−1.8) | 36.3 (2.4) | 47.8 (8.8) | 58.6 (14.8) | 67.6 (19.8) | 72.9 (22.7) | 71.1 (21.7) | 63.9 (17.7) | 52.0 (11.1) | 42.2 (5.7) | 32.7 (0.4) | 50.0 (10.0) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 17.0 (−8.3) | 18.3 (−7.6) | 25.9 (−3.4) | 36.1 (2.3) | 46.8 (8.2) | 56.6 (13.7) | 62.1 (16.7) | 60.2 (15.7) | 52.5 (11.4) | 40.8 (4.9) | 32.2 (0.1) | 24.0 (−4.4) | 39.4 (4.1) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | −1.1 (−18.4) | 0.0 (−17.8) | 8.3 (−13.2) | 24.3 (−4.3) | 33.8 (1.0) | 43.3 (6.3) | 50.7 (10.4) | 49.6 (9.8) | 38.5 (3.6) | 27.1 (−2.7) | 17.6 (−8.0) | 7.0 (−13.9) | −4.6 (−20.3) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −18 (−28) | −25 (−32) | −6 (−21) | 13 (−11) | 22 (−6) | 27 (−3) | 37 (3) | 35 (2) | 24 (−4) | 16 (−9) | 1 (−17) | −13 (−25) | −25 (−32) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 3.65 (93) | 3.36 (85) | 4.22 (107) | 4.28 (109) | 4.19 (106) | 4.83 (123) | 4.44 (113) | 5.14 (131) | 5.01 (127) | 5.66 (144) | 3.87 (98) | 4.81 (122) | 53.46 (1,358) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 11.1 (28) | 11.8 (30) | 5.5 (14) | 0.5 (1.3) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.0 (0.0) | 0.6 (1.5) | 0.8 (2.0) | 8.3 (21) | 38.6 (97.8) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 10.3 | 8.8 | 10.4 | 11.0 | 12.0 | 11.0 | 10.7 | 9.9 | 8.9 | 10.3 | 8.9 | 10.8 | 123.0 |
| Average snowy days(≥ 0.1 in) | 3.7 | 2.9 | 1.6 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.1 | 0.2 | 2.0 | 10.8 |
| Source 1: NOAA[12] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: National Weather Service[11] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1820 | 1,360 | — | |
| 1850 | 1,161 | — | |
| 1860 | 1,031 | −11.2% | |
| 1870 | 1,319 | 27.9% | |
| 1880 | 1,224 | −7.2% | |
| 1890 | 1,302 | 6.4% | |
| 1900 | 1,218 | −6.5% | |
| 1910 | 1,319 | 8.3% | |
| 1920 | 1,109 | −15.9% | |
| 1930 | 1,082 | −2.4% | |
| 1940 | 1,246 | 15.2% | |
| 1950 | 1,846 | 48.2% | |
| 1960 | 2,790 | 51.1% | |
| 1970 | 4,070 | 45.9% | |
| 1980 | 5,660 | 39.1% | |
| 1990 | 7,026 | 24.1% | |
| 2000 | 8,190 | 16.6% | |
| 2010 | 9,301 | 13.6% | |
| 2020 | 9,519 | 2.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[13] | |||
As of thecensus[14] of 2010, there were 9,326 people, 3,303 households, and 2,691 families residing in the town. The racial makeup of the town was 96.5%White, 0.6%African American, 0.0%Native American, 1.5%Asian, 0.0%Pacific Islander, 0.5% fromother races, and 0.9% from two or more races.Hispanic orLatino people of any race were 2.6% of the population.
There were 3,303 households, out of which 40.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 71.4% weremarried couples living together, 6.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 14.5% were non-families. 18.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 5.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.82 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 29.0% under the age of 19, 6.4% from 20 to 29, 10.2% from 30 to 39, 20.6% from 40 to 49, 23.7% from 50 to 64, and 5.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 42.5 years.
Economic figures[14] for the town include a median income for a household at $105,250, and the median income for a family at $114,544. About 2.3% of families have incomes under $15,000/year and 11.9% of families have incomes over $200,000/year.
Burlington has a central business district which primarily runs along Spielman Highway (Route 4). In hopes of further developing the central business district, a Library Lane Advisory Commission was formed in June 2021 to help provide concepts for the use of the property. The Library Lane Advisory Commission presented a final report in January 2022 to the Board of Selectmen that focused on types of development, resident survey results, architecture and design, infrastructure improvements, and traffic studies.[15]
Burlington has four (4) recreation facilities with the newest being Johnnycake Mountain Park that was established in 2024. The other recreation facilities include Foote Road Recreation Complex, Malerbo Recreation Complex, and Nassahegan Recreation Complex which consist of playgrounds, soccer fields, lacrosse fields, baseball fields, and softball fields.
Burlington has annual road and trail races road that pass through the community, such as the Burlington to Collinsville Classic 10K that begins at Burlington's Lake Garda Elementary School and runs along theFarmington River on theNew Haven and Northampton Canal Greenway and finishing in Collinsville.[16]
The Tunxis Trail Races, which are organized by the Burlington Land Trust throughout the year, typically include 5K, 8K, 30K, and 60K distances that pass through notable landmarks.[17]
| Voter registration and party enrollment as of October 31, 2024[18] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Active voters | Inactive voters | Total voters | Percentage | |
| Republican | 2,142 | 97 | 2,239 | 29.40% | |
| Democratic | 1,872 | 75 | 1,947 | 25.56% | |
| Unaffiliated | 3,085 | 189 | 3,274 | 42.98% | |
| Minor parties | 142 | 16 | 158 | 2.07% | |
| Total | 7,241 | 377 | 7,618 | 100% | |
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 48.01%2,782 | 50.37%2,919 | 1.62%94 |
| 2020 | 49.72%3,099 | 48.68%3,034 | 1.60%100 |
| 2016 | 43.68%2,352 | 51.49%2,773 | 4.83%260 |
| 2012 | 46.23%2,357 | 52.63%2,683 | 1.14%58 |
| 2008 | 52.08%2,716 | 46.14%2,406 | 1.78%93 |
| 2004 | 48.84%2,501 | 49.58%2,539 | 1.58%81 |
| 2000 | 49.26%2,137 | 45.30%1,965 | 5.44%236 |
| 1996 | 45.51%1,747 | 40.32%1,548 | 14.17%544 |
| 1992 | 37.03%1,511 | 35.73%1,458 | 27.25%1,112 |
| 1988 | 44.07%1,413 | 54.96%1,762 | 0.97%31 |
| 1984 | 33.84%994 | 65.99%1,938 | 0.17%5 |
| 1980 | 35.81%953 | 47.69%1,269 | 16.50%439 |
| 1976 | 45.08%972 | 54.55%1,176 | 0.37%8 |
| 1972 | 38.53%722 | 60.09%1,126 | 1.39%26 |
| 1968 | 43.81%648 | 46.65%690 | 9.54%141 |
| 1964 | 66.26%860 | 33.74%438 | 0.00%0 |
| 1960 | 48.28%644 | 51.72%690 | 0.00%0 |
| 1956 | 30.35%305 | 69.65%700 | 0.00%0 |
In 1779, the Congregational Church laid out nine school districts, each with its own schoolhouse. In 1948, Burlington Consolidated School opened to replace these schoolhouses. By 1962, theRegional School District #10 was established to serve Burlington andHarwinton.
The four current schools within the district are;
The Burlington Consolidated School is currently used as Town Hall by Burlington after it was closed 1965.
Johnnycake Mountain Meadows Airfield (22B) was an airport in the northwestern corner of Burlington and was sometimes referenced as "Mountain Meadows". The airport had a 2,400 ft northwest to southwest runway with a flight school and fuel depot that closed on April 1, 2004 after the owner no longer wanted an airport on his property.[21]
On September 2, 2023, a single-engine plane made an emergency landing in the cornfield slightly south of the airport with no casualties.[22]
The Burlington Volunteer Fire Department (BVFD) provides fire, rescue and emergency medical services to Burlington. The fire department operates four (4) stations;
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)Municipalities and communities ofHartford County, Connecticut,United States | ||
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Municipalities and communities ofNorthwest Hills Planning Region, Connecticut,United States | ||
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