Greenwich, Connecticut | |
|---|---|
 Flag  Seal  Logo | |
 Fairfield County and Connecticut Western Connecticut Planning Region and Connecticut | |
 Show Greenwich Show Connecticut Show the United States | |
| Coordinates:41°02′20″N73°36′49″W / 41.03889°N 73.61361°W /41.03889; -73.61361 | |
| Country | United States |
| U.S. state | Connecticut |
| County | Fairfield |
| Region | Western CT |
| Settled | 1640 |
| Joined Connecticut | 1656 |
| Named after | Greenwich, London |
| Government | |
| • Type | Representative town meeting |
| • First selectman | Fred Camillo (R) |
| • Selectwoman | Lauren Rabin (R) |
| • Town administrator | Benjamin Branyan |
| • Town meeting moderator | Alexis Voulgaris |
| Area | |
• Total | 67.2 sq mi (174.0 km2) |
| • Land | 47.8 sq mi (123.8 km2) |
| • Water | 19.4 sq mi (50.3 km2) |
| Elevation | 131 ft (40 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 63,518 |
| • Density | 1,328.8/sq mi (513.1/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (Eastern) |
| ZIP Codes | 06830, 06831, 06870, 06878 |
| Area codes | 203/475 |
| FIPS code | 09-33620 |
| GNIS feature ID | 213435[1] |
| Website | www |
Greenwich (/ˈɡrɛnɪtʃ/GREN-itch) is atown in southwesternFairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the2020 census, it had a population of 63,518.[2] It is the largest town onConnecticut's affluent Gold Coast. Greenwich is home to manyhedge funds andfinancial services firms due to its residential setting and proximity toManhattan.[3][4]
Greenwich is a principal community of theBridgeport–Stamford–Norwalk–Danbury metropolitan statistical area, which comprises all of Fairfield County, and is part of both the greaterNew York metropolitan area and theWestern Connecticut Planning Region. The town is the southwesternmost municipality in both the State of Connecticut and the six-state region ofNew England. The town is named afterGreenwich, aroyal borough ofLondon in theUnited Kingdom.[5]
The town of Greenwich was settled in 1640, by the agentsRobert Feake and Captain Daniel Patrick, for Gov.Theophilus Eaton ofNew Haven Colony, who purchased the land from theSiwanoy Indians in exchange of 25 English coats.[6][7][8] One of the founders wasElizabeth Fones Winthrop, daughter-in-law ofJohn Winthrop, founder and governor of theMassachusetts Bay Colony. It was named afterGreenwich, nearLondon.[9] What is now calledGreenwich Point was known for much of the area's early history as "Elizabeth's Neck" in recognition ofElizabeth Fones and the 1640 purchase of the Point and much of the area now known asOld Greenwich.[10] Greenwich was declared a township by theConnecticut General Assembly inHartford on May 11, 1665.[11]
During theAmerican Revolution, GeneralIsrael Putnam made a daring escape from the British on February 26, 1779, in Greenwich. Although British forces captured and sacked the town, Putnam was able to warnStamford.[11]
In 1974,Gulliver's Restaurant and Bar, on the border of Greenwich andPort Chester, burned, killing 24 young people.[12]
In 1983, theMianus River Bridge, which carries traffic onInterstate 95 over an estuary, collapsed, resulting in the death of three people.[13]
For many years, Greenwich Point (locally termed "Tod's Point"), was open only to town residents and their guests. However, a lawyer sued, saying his rights tofreedom of assembly were threatened because he was not allowed to go there. The lower courts disagreed, but theSupreme Court of Connecticut agreed, and Greenwich was forced to amend its beach access policy to all four beaches in 2001. These beaches include Greenwich Point Park, Island Beach,Great Captain Island, and Byram Park.[14]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau in 2000, the town had a total area of 67.2 square miles (174 km2), of which 47.8 square miles (124 km2) is land and 19.4 square miles (50 km2), or 28.88%, is water. In terms of area, Greenwich is twice the size ofManhattan. The town is bordered to the west byPort Chester andRye Brook, while to the north, it is bordered byArmonk andBanksville, all of which are inNew York. To the south, it is bordered by theLong Island Sound. To the east, it is bordered byStamford, which is also in Connecticut.
The U.S. Census Bureau recognizes nineCDPs within the town:Byram,Cos Cob,Glenville,Indian Field,Old Greenwich,Pemberwick,Riverside,Rock Ridge and theGreenwich CDP covering the historic municipal center of the town. TheUSPS lists separate zip codes for "Greenwich" (spanning two zip codes), Cos Cob, Old Greenwich, and Riverside, for a total of five zip codes, plus a sixth zip code for PO Box. Additionally, Greenwich is often further divided into several smaller, unofficial neighborhoods.
Greenwich'sHispanic and Latin American population is concentrated in the southwestern corner of the town.[15][16] In 2011, numerous neighborhoods were described byBusiness Insider as being among the richest neighborhoods in America.[17]
Calf Island is a 29-acre (120,000 m2) island about 3,000 feet (910 m) from theByram shore in Greenwich.[20]
More than half of the island (on the west side) is a bird sanctuary off-limits to members of the public without permission to visit. As of 2006 the island is available for overnight stays for those with permits, otherwise the east side is open from dawn until dusk.[20]
Great Captain Island is also off the coast of Greenwich, and includes the southernmost point in Connecticut. There is aU.S. Coast Guard lighthouse on this island, as well as a designated area as a bird sanctuary. The lighthouse is askeletal tower.
Island Beach or "Little Captain Island" once was the venue for the town's annual Island Beach Day. VentriloquistPaul Winchell and his dummy, Jerry Mahoney, once came for a show, and on another occasion theConnecticut National Guard let adults and children fire machine guns into the water, according to an article in theGreenwich Time.[21]
Island Beach has changed over the decades. The bathhouse once on the island's eastern shore is gone, and erosion is slowly eating away at the beaches themselves.[21]
Greenwich experiences ahumid continental climate (Dfa); however, it is quite close to ahumid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classificationCfa). During winter storms, it is common for the area north of theMerritt Parkway to receive significantly heavier snowfall than the area closer to the coast, due to the moderating influence ofLong Island Sound.
| Climate data for Greenwich, Connecticut | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 35 (2) | 39 (4) | 47 (8) | 58 (14) | 69 (21) | 77 (25) | 82 (28) | 80 (27) | 73 (23) | 62 (17) | 51 (11) | 40 (4) | 59 (15) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 21 (−6) | 23 (−5) | 29 (−2) | 39 (4) | 49 (9) | 59 (15) | 64 (18) | 63 (17) | 55 (13) | 44 (7) | 36 (2) | 27 (−3) | 42 (6) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 4.32 (110) | 3.24 (82) | 4.73 (120) | 4.44 (113) | 4.58 (116) | 3.77 (96) | 3.72 (94) | 4.00 (102) | 4.70 (119) | 4.17 (106) | 4.47 (114) | 4.31 (109) | 50.45 (1,281) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 7.7 (20) | 8.3 (21) | 4.9 (12) | 1.2 (3.0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0 (0) | 0.4 (1.0) | 5.2 (13) | 28 (71) |
| Source 1: Weather Channel[22] | |||||||||||||
| Source 2: WeatherDB[23] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 3,047 | — | |
| 1810 | 3,533 | 16.0% | |
| 1820 | 3,790 | 7.3% | |
| 1830 | 3,801 | 0.3% | |
| 1840 | 3,921 | 3.2% | |
| 1850 | 5,036 | 28.4% | |
| 1860 | 6,522 | 29.5% | |
| 1870 | 7,644 | 17.2% | |
| 1880 | 7,892 | 3.2% | |
| 1890 | 10,131 | 28.4% | |
| 1900 | 12,172 | 20.1% | |
| 1910 | 16,463 | 35.3% | |
| 1920 | 22,123 | 34.4% | |
| 1930 | 33,112 | 49.7% | |
| 1940 | 35,509 | 7.2% | |
| 1950 | 40,835 | 15.0% | |
| 1960 | 53,793 | 31.7% | |
| 1970 | 59,755 | 11.1% | |
| 1980 | 59,578 | −0.3% | |
| 1990 | 58,441 | −1.9% | |
| 2000 | 61,101 | 4.6% | |
| 2010 | 61,171 | 0.1% | |
| 2020 | 63,518 | 3.8% |
At the2020 U.S. census, there were 63,518 people in Greenwich.[24] Per theAmerican Community Survey's 2018 estimates, the population of Greenwich grew to 62,574.[25] There were 24,234 housing units, 22,251 households, and 16,322 families in 2018.[26] The town's racial makeup consisted of 72.8%non-Hispanic whites, 3.3%Blacks or African Americans, 0.1%American Indian or Alaska Natives, 7.6%Asian Americans, and 2.2%multiracial Americans.Hispanic and Latin American residents made up 13.8% of the estimated population.
The average household size from 2014 to 2018 grew to 2.78 and the average family size was 3.28. The median household income excluding capital gains was $142,819 and the average income was $272,636.[27] Including capital gains, the median household income in 2014 was $511,411.[28] Theper capita income for the town was $98,467.[29]
At thecensus[30] of 2000, there were 61,101 people, 23,230 households, and 16,237 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,277.6 inhabitants per square mile (493.3/km2). There were 24,511 housing units at an average density of 512.5 per square mile (197.9/km2). At the census estimates of 2013,[31] the racial makeup of the town was 80.90%White, 4.90% Black, 0.10% Native American, 7.80% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, and 2.50% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.90% of the population.
There were 23,230 households, out of which 33.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.4% weremarried couples living together, 8.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 24.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.12.
In the town, the population was spread out as follows: 25.4% under the age of 18, 4.1% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 25.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 90.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.2 males.
Greenwich is home to three of the wealthiest zip codes in Connecticut, 06878, 06830 and 06831, with average adjusted gross incomes of $754,990, $638,560 and $721,550, and median household incomes of $182,386, $109,250 and $155,417, respectively.[32] In recent decades, the town has attracted wealthy expatriates due to its low tax rate,[33] school system, and proximity toManhattan.[34]The median listing price for a home in the town was $2.3 million in 2021.[35]
Greenwich, along withStamford, are the economic centers of Fairfield County and its metropolitan statistical area. Prominent companies based in the town of Greenwich includeAQR Capital,Blue Harbour Group,Blyth, Inc., Cambridge Solutions,[36]First Reserve Corporation,Interactive Brokers,Nestlé Waters North America,[37]North Street Capital,Silver Point Capital,Viking Global Investors,W. R. Berkley, a holding company for subsidiaries that sell property-casualty insurance,XFL, andXPO, Inc. Other major institutions in the township areGreenwich Hospital,Hyatt Regency,Tudor Investment Corporation,Eversource Energy,Brunswick School, and Camuto Group. Former companies based in Greenwich includeBlue Sky Studios.
Greenwich was home to theGreenwich International Film Festival, which acts in coordination with nonprofits to promote socially conscious filmmaking in the city's downtown in an annual June festival, in addition to screenings and events held year-round. The festival announced it was closing in June 2025.[38][39][40]
The Greenwich Symphony Orchestra begun in 1958 as the Greenwich Philharmonia. The Philharmonia was conducted by high school music teacher Ken Wendrich. The orchestra became fully professional by 1967. That year the orchestra found a new conductor,Juilliard graduate John Nelson.[41] The Greenwich Choral Society, founded in 1925, performs locally and elsewhere, including in New York City and Europe.[42]
The Greenwich post office contains a mural,The Packet Sails from Greenwich Green, painted in 1939 byVictoria Hutson Huntley.[43]
TheBruce Museum is a town-owned institution with sections devoted to art and natural history.[44]Putnam Cottage (Knapp Tavern) historic house museum, is also located within Greenwich.[45]
Acacia Lodge No. 85, Ancient, Free & Accepted Masons, founded in 1857 in the top level of the old Cos Cob School House, is located in the town.[46] Its members were originally of Union Lodge No. 5, founded 1763, and though its "home base" was Stamford, it was given the jurisdiction of "Stamford, Horseneck and parts adjacent." Union Lodge often met in Greenwich, and the first recorded meeting place was Knapp's Tavern on the King's Highway.[46]
The Greenwich Town Party is a recurring music festival in Greenwich. Past headliners have includedThe Temptations,Paul Simon,the Eagles,Santana, theDoobie Brothers,Billy Joel, andMumford & Sons.[47]
TheGreenwich Y.M.C.A., which appears on theNational Register of Historic Places, offers fitness and social services.[48]
Equinox, a luxury fitness club, has a location in Greenwich.[49]
Arch Street, The Greenwich Teen Center has age-specific programs and events on weekdays and weekends.[50]
Dorothy Hamill Rink is a town-owned ice rink open seasonally.[51]
TheGreenwich Polo Club is a polo club and event venue that was established in 1981.[52]
The town has four beaches onLong Island Sound:
Greenwich High School is the district's solehigh school. As of 2012[update], elementary schools had the same racial demographics as the town.[15] The 3middle schools have representative enrollment.[53]
Elementary Schools:
Middle Schools:
High Schools:
Approximately 25-30% of K-12 residents are enrolled in private schools, a high ratio compared to other municipalities in Connecticut and elsewhere in the region.[54][55]
The town of Greenwich is one political and taxing body, but consists of several distinct sections or neighborhoods, such asBanksville,Byram,Cos Cob,Glenville,Mianus,Old Greenwich,Riverside andGreenwich (sometimes referred to as central, or downtown, Greenwich). Of these neighborhoods, three (Cos Cob, Old Greenwich, and Riverside) have separate postal names andZIP codes.[62]
The town has threeselectmen and aRepresentative Town Meeting (RTM). The RTM must approve all budgets, and consists of 230 elected representatives. RTM members are not paid. The three selectmen are elected on a town-wide basis, although each person can only vote for two members. This assures that there will almost always be oneDemocrat and twoRepublicans or two Democrats and one Republican. While voter registration is skewed in the Republicans' favor, they do not have a lock on the First Selectman's chair, and Democrats have held the seat recently. Many of the other town committees have equal representation between Democrats and Republicans, regardless of the vote breakdown, since each individual can only vote for half as many seats as are available.[62]
| Year | Democratic | Republican | Third Parties |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 57.34%19,603 | 41.31%14,122 | 1.35%464 |
| 2020 | 61.59%22,243 | 36.74%13,269 | 1.67%600 |
| 2016 | 56.49%17,630 | 39.14%12,215 | 4.37%1,364 |
| 2012 | 43.90%13,079 | 55.24%16,456 | 0.86%255 |
| 2008 | 53.44%16,233 | 45.89%13,937 | 0.67%204 |
| 2004 | 47.00%14,334 | 51.90%15,830 | 1.10%336 |
| 2000 | 44.16%12,780 | 51.51%14,905 | 4.33%1,253 |
| 1996 | 41.49%11,622 | 51.08%14,308 | 7.43%2,080 |
| 1992 | 36.62%11,893 | 48.91%15,885 | 14.47%4,698 |
| 1988 | 33.25%10,205 | 65.68%20,158 | 1.07%327 |
| 1984 | 29.08%9,620 | 70.63%23,361 | 0.29%95 |
| 1980 | 27.25%8,670 | 60.90%19,379 | 11.85%3,770 |
| 1976 | 33.21%10,400 | 66.19%20,725 | 0.60%187 |
| 1972 | 29.90%9,289 | 69.02%21,440 | 1.08%335 |
| 1968 | 35.46%10,396 | 61.29%17,972 | 3.25%953 |
| 1964 | 54.88%15,265 | 45.12%12,549 | 0.00%0 |
| 1960 | 34.43%9,554 | 65.57%18,199 | 0.00%0 |
| 1956 | 21.75%5,566 | 78.25%20,026 | 0.00%0 |
| 1952 | 28.89%6,809 | 70.88%16,708 | 0.23%54 |
| 1948 | 29.51%5,485 | 68.31%12,697 | 2.18%405 |
| 1944 | 35.50%6,157 | 64.50%11,188 | 0.00%0 |
| 1940 | 33.20%5,625 | 66.80%11,319 | 0.00%0 |
| 1936 | 40.46%5,452 | 59.54%8,024 | 0.00%0 |
| 1932 | 38.42%4,252 | 61.58%6,816 | 0.00%0 |
| 1928 | 34.24%3,363 | 65.29%6,413 | 0.47%46 |
| 1924 | 19.54%1,112 | 74.53%4,242 | 5.94%338 |
| 1920 | 22.44%1,096 | 75.12%3,669 | 2.44%119 |
| 1916 | 37.70%1,130 | 60.56%1,815 | 1.74%52 |
| 1912 | 37.23%956 | 35.16%903 | 27.61%709 |
| 1908 | 34.95%881 | 61.92%1,561 | 3.13%79 |
| 1904 | 39.22%937 | 58.35%1,394 | 2.43%58 |
| 1900 | 39.91%902 | 59.82%1,352 | 0.27%6 |
| 1896 | 34.21%740 | 63.48%1,373 | 2.31%50 |
| 1892 | 52.84%1,051 | 46.10%917 | 1.06%21 |
| 1888 | 51.85%938 | 46.77%846 | 1.38%25 |
| 1884 | 50.95%828 | 47.82%777 | 1.23%20 |
| 1880 | 50.44%808 | 49.56%794 | 0.00%0 |
| 1876 | 52.51%774 | 47.49%700 | 0.00%0 |
| 1872 | 47.52%469 | 52.48%518 | 0.00%0 |
| 1868 | 52.84%578 | 46.10%451 | 0.00%0 |
| 1864 | 55.71%576 | 43.30%458 | 0.00%0 |
| 1860 | 49.1%465 | 49.9%473 | 1.00%10 |
| 1856 | 42.79%377 | 43.70%385 | 13.51%119 |
| 1852 | 52.92%371 | 44.22%310 | 2.85%20 |
| 1848 | 39.07%234 | 52.75%316 | 8.18%49 |
| 1844 | 51.01%355 | 47.13%328 | 1.87%13 |
| 1840 | 52.17%337 | 47.83%309 | 0.00%0 |
| 1836 | 64.56%102 | 35.44%56 | 0.00%0 |
| 1832 | 58.04%166 | 25.52%73 | 16.43%47 |
| 1828 | 21.93%25 | 78.07%89 | 0.00%0 |
| Senators | Name | Party | Assumed office | Level | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senate Class 1 | Richard Blumenthal | Democratic | 2011 | Senior Senator | |
| Senate Class 3 | Chris Murphy | Democratic | 2013 | Junior Senator | |
| Representatives | Name | Party | Assumed office | ||
| District 4 | Jim Himes | Democratic | 2009 | ||
| District | Name | Party | Assumed office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36 | Ryan Fazio | Republican | 2021 | |
| District | Name | Party | Assumed office | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 149 | Rachel Khanna | Democratic | 2023 | |
| 150 | Steve Meskers | Democratic | 2019 | |
| 151 | Hector Arzeno | Democratic | 2023 | |
| Voter registration and party enrollment as of July 18, 2024[64] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Active voters | Percentage | |
| Unaffiliated | 16,138 | 39.3% | |
| Democratic | 11,740 | 29.8% | |
| Republican | 11,498 | 29.3% | |
| Minor parties | 651 | 1.7% | |
| Total | 39,376 | 100.0% | |
The town is served by theMetro-North Railroad'sNew Haven Line (the four stations, from west to east, areGreenwich,Cos Cob,Riverside, andOld Greenwich) and is approximately a 50-minutetrain ride toGrand Central Terminal inManhattan on the express train and a 60-minute ride on the local.[65] TheAmtrakAcela,Northeast Regional, andVermonter trains stop in the adjacent city ofStamford.[66]
Interstate 95 goes through the southern end of town, and there are four exits from I-95 in Greenwich, exits 2 through 5. TheBoston Post Road (also known as East or West Putnam Avenue or simplyRoute 1) also goes through town, as does theMerritt Parkway, although the Merritt Parkway is a considerable distance from the downtown area.Interstate 684 passes through Greenwich, but cannot be entered or exited there, and the nearest interchange is at the Westchester County Airport inNew York State.
Westchester County Airport is the closest commercial airport to Greenwich. It takes approximately 15 minutes to drive from the town's center. This is followed byLaGuardia Airport in Queens, New York, approximately a 35-minute drive.John F. Kennedy International Airport inQueens, New York, is the closest international airport, approximately a one-hour drive.Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey is also easily accessible from Greenwich, taking approximately one hour to drive to.
According to the DataHaven Community Wellbeing Survey, a statewide program funded by various agencies and philanthropies, 4% of adults in Greenwich are "transportation insecure," meaning that they have had to stay at home during the past year due to a lack of adequate transportation. The comparable rate for all adults statewide is 13%.[67]
The town of Greenwich is protected by the paid career members of the Greenwich Fire Department (GFD) and eight all-volunteer fire companies, in addition to aFire Police Patrol. The paid GFD is made up of 106 paid firefighters, who staff 6 Engine Companies and 1 Truck Company, as well as several special units, in 6 Fire Stations (shared with volunteer companies), under the command of a Deputy Chief (Tour Commander) per shift, who in-turn reports to the Chief of Department. The 7 volunteer fire companies are made up of a total of approximately 100 volunteer firefighters, who man 9 volunteer engines, 2 volunteer ladders, 4 tankers, 6 squads, 3 utility units, 3 marine units (fireboats), 1 dive rescue unit, 1 special operations unit, 1 heavy rescue and several other support units. The volunteer fire companies are quartered in 7 of the fire stations, located throughout the town, and respond to emergency calls with the paid GFD Units. The all-volunteer fire companies are each commanded by a District Chief, who in-turn reports to a Deputy Chief of the GFD, who reports to the Chief of Department.[68] There is also the Cos Cob Fire Police Patrol, one of the only remaining Fire Police Patrols inFairfield County, Connecticut. The Patrol operates 2 Units, Patrol 2 (P2) and Utility 2 (U2). The paid Greenwich Fire Department and the 7 all-volunteer Greenwich Fire Companies respond to, on average, approximately 5,000 emergency calls annually.[69][70]
Located at 11 Bruce Place, GPD has 87 police officers, 22 detectives, 19 sergeants, 10 lieutenants, 3 captains, and one deputy chief with 20+ civilian dispatchers and administrative personnel.[71] and includes aK-9 unit.[72]
| City | Region | Country | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kitzbühel | Tyrol |  Austria | 1961[73] |
| Vienne | Isère |  France | |
| Nacka | Stockholm |  Sweden | |
| Morra De Sanctis | Campania |  Italy | 2013[74] |
| Rose, Calabria | Calabria | Italy | 2013[74] |
| Hangzhou | Zhejiang |  China | 2017[75] |
| Izium | Kharkiv |  Ukraine | 2023[76] |
At least two tractor-trailer trucks and two passenger cars went into the Mianus River early this morning when a Connecticut Turnpike bridge over it collapsed, the Connecticut state police said.
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Municipalities and communities ofWestern Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut,United States | ||
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