Naugatuck, Connecticut
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Naugatuck is a borough located in New Haven County, Connecticut. As of the 2000 census, the borough had a total population of 30,989. The town spans both sides of the Naugatuck River just south of Waterbury, and includes the town center of Union City, which has its own post office.
The zip code for Naugatuck and Union City is 06770. The town has a Metro North train station.
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The town
Goodyear-1-.jpg
Naugatuck is best known for originating Naugahyde, although it is no longer produced there. Charles Goodyear discovered the process of the vulcanization of rubber in the borough. It is home to Peter Paul, Hershey Foodsdivision that produces Almond Joy and Mounds candy bars. The town green features 11 commissions by the renowned New York architecture firm of McKim, Mead and White.
Naugatuck was settled in 1701 as a farming community in rural Western Connecticut. As the Industrial Revolution commenced, Naugatuck was transformed into a hardscabble mill-town like its neighbors in Connecticut's Naugatuck Valley. Rubber was the chief manufacture, produced well into the 1980s. As American manufacturing declined in the late 20th Century, the mills closed and the town felt on largely hard times. Now, with the expansion of the suburbs, especially in New Haven and Fairfield County, the town is largely a bedroom community for the lower-middle class.
The local high school, Naugatuck High, has a storied football rivalry with the high school in Ansonia that is one of the longest in America. Like the other high schools in the Naugatuck Valley, the two teams meet the morning of Thanksgiving Day. The first meeting was in 1895 (104th renewal in 2005). Ansonia is the long-term winner in the series.
Government
The mayor is Ronald San Angelo, a Republican first elected in 2003.
Naugatuck is unique in Connecticut government for being the only municipality called a "borough". Every other borough in Connecticut is a special services district located within another "town", the unit of Connecticut local government. Naugatuck is technically a merged borough-town with a town clerk and a borough clerk managing official records, much like Connecticut cities are technically merged city-towns with two clerks (city and town).
Naugatuck is also notable for being the only notable municipality to elect its local officials during May of odd-numbered years, along with the other boroughs and two rural towns (Bethany and Ashford). Other Connecticut towns and cities elect their officials in November of odd numbered years.
Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the borough has a total area of 42.6 km² (16.5 mi²). 42.4 km² (16.4 mi²) of it is land and 0.2 km² (0.1 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 0.36% water.
Demographics
As of the census2 of 2000, there are 30,989 people, 11,829 households, and 8,292 families residing in the borough. The population density is 730.0/km² (1,890.9/mi²). There are 12,341 housing units at an average density of 290.7/km² (753.0/mi²). The racial makeup of the borough is 91.76% White, 2.85% Black or African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.68% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 1.58% from other races, and 1.85% from two or more races. 4.47% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There are 11,829 households out of which 36.3% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.3% are married couples living together, 12.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% are non-families. 24.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 9.6% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.60 and the average family size is 3.13.
In the borough the population is spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 7.3% from 18 to 24, 33.1% from 25 to 44, 21.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.7% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 36 years. For every 100 females there are 94.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 90.5 males.
The median income for a household in the borough is $51,247, and the median income for a family is $59,216. Males have a median income of $42,103 versus $29,971 for females. The per capita income for the borough is $22,757. 6.4% of the population and 4.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 9.4% of those under the age of 18 and 6.0% of those 65 and older are living below the poverty line.
External links
- Borough of Naugatuck (http://www.naugatuckonline.com/)
- Naugatuck Historical Society (http://naugatuckhistory.com/)
- Howard Whittemore Library (http://www.biblio.org/whittemore/)
- Institutions of Downtown Naugatuck, written by Naugatuck High School librarian Mrs. Monahan (http://www.ceca-ct.org/CECA2003/ceca_scrap/Monahan_Naugatuck/Naugatuck.html)
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State of Connecticut |
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| Capital: | |
| Regions: |
Greater New Haven | Greater Hartford | Litchfield Hills | Lower Connecticut River Valley | Naugatuck River Valley | New York metropolitan area/Gold Coast | Quiet Corner | Southeastern Connecticut |
| Largest cities: |
Ansonia | Bridgeport | Bristol | Danbury | Fairfield | Greenwich | Groton | Hartford | Meriden | Middletown | Milford | Naugatuck | New Britain | New Haven | New London | North Haven | Norwalk | Norwich | Shelton | Stamford | Torrington | Waterbury | West Hartford |
| Counties: |
Fairfield | Hartford | Litchfield | Middlesex | New Haven | New London | Tolland | Windham |