Moving to Hartford, Connecticut

New England’s Rising Star might be a relatively small big city, but it has a massive influence throughout the world. Hartford is one of America’s wealthiest cities, the home to most international insurance companies, upon which much of the world depends.

However, Hartford is more than an economic powerhouse. It is a well-educated and lively city that’s filled with historic architecture and rich vegetation that blossoms like fire in the fall.

Geography of Hartford, CT

Hartford is located in them middle of Connecticut. The Connecticut River cuts through it, dividing downtown Hartford from East Hartford. The surrounding area is generally flat and heavily forested.

Hartford only has a population of just over 100,000 people; however, it is the center of a metro area that includes East and West Hartford, Manchester and Farmington, and that is home to over 1.1 million people. Hartford is also close to Springfield, Mass, which is tied closely to Hartford’s economy, as well as New York City, Boston and Providence, all which are home to people who work in Hartford.

Positives of Moving to Hartford

Economy – Hartford thrives on the insurance industry. It is known as the insurance capital of the world, and rightfully so; almost all of the largest insurance companies are located in Hartford, providing thousands of jobs and making the area very wealthy over-all.

History – Hartford is one of the oldest cities in the nation, and it has the architecture to show for it. Many of Hartford’s public buildings and downtown residences are hundreds of years old, some dating all the way back to the 1700’s.

Education – Hartford is home to Trinity College and the University of Connecticut schools of Law and Business. The area is also widely educated; Hartford’s metro population is one of the most educated in the nation.

Beauty – The forests around Hartford and throughout New England are well known for their beauty, especially in the summer, when the trees are lush, and the fall, when they begin to change color.

Close to New York City and Boston – Boston and New York City are both just over 100 miles away from Hartford, making weekend trips to the bigger cities very possible. Providence, RI, is even closer, though a loopy transit system makes the trip longer than it should be.

Negatives of Moving to Hartford

Small City Vibe – Hartford is a fairly large city, and it does have a nearby campus and breathing downtown; however, many people choose to live in nearby New York City and Boston, which have more amenities.

Expensive – Connecticut in general have high home prices and high taxes. Those who don’t have well-paying jobs are known to either struggle or live in the less-desirable, more crime-affected areas.

Traffic – Hartford doesn’t have much by way of public transit, and it supports a HUGE commuter population, which not only comes from the surrounding metro, but also New York City and Boston. Making matters worse, the highway system is borderline nonsensical. Straight-to highway routes are oddly rare, and traffic is rough.

Winter – Winter in Hartford is not only freezing cold and snowy, many residents complain of a particularly troublesome snow – a “wet snow” that quickly freezes over, making it even worse to deal with.

Poverty – Though the surrounding metro is very wealthy, Hartford proper is one of the poorest cities in the U.S., with roughly a third of the population impoverished. This creates a stark divide between the Hartford and the surrounding cities and towns.

Want to move to Hartford? It’s time to discuss it with some Hartford moving companies. Find them here for free: Hartford movers.