Regional Plan of Conservation and Development, 2006-2015

Regional Plan of Conservation and Development, 2006-2015Table 3.3 – Median Family Income, Adjusted for Inflation: 1990 and 20001990 2000 Percent Change 1990-2000Income Adjustedfor Inflation (1990 Median FamilyPercent ChangeMedian FamilyIncomeIncome in 2000dollars)Income(in 2000 dollars)Percent Changein Family IncomeAdjusted forInflationDarien $ 101,583 133,838 $ 173,777 71.1% 29.8%Greenwich $ 80,558 106,137 $ 122,719 52.3% 15.6%New Canaan $ 109,512 144,284 $ 175,331 60.1% 21.5%Norwalk $ 55,269 72,818 $ 68,219 23.4% -6.3%Stamford $ 57,360 75,573 $ 69,337 20.9% -8.3%Weston $ 115,779 152,541 $ 162,032 39.9% 6.2%Westport $ 95,791 126,207 $ 152,894 59.6% 21.1%Wilton $ 101,156 133,275 $ 158,415 56.6% 18.9%South WesternRegion$ 69,658 91,776 $ 94,228 35.3% 2.7%Fairfield County $ 57,990 76,403 $ 77,690 34.0% 1.7%Connecticut $ 49,199 64,821 $ 65,521 33.2% 1.1%National $ 35,225 46,410 $ 50,046 42.1% 7.8%Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 1990 Census of Population and Housing, STF-3; 2000 Census of Population and Housing, Summary File 3; Bureau of Labor Statistics, Consumer Price IndexInflation Information (http://www.bls.gov/cpi/home.htm).incomes for this sector are higher than data suggest.Those working in office and administrative supportoccupations also saw their incomes increase duringthis period, from an average of $32,960 in 2000 to$35,950 in 2003, an increase of nine percent.IncomeThe 2000 regional median family income of$94,228 was nearly twice the national average andalso significantly exceeded the averages of FairfieldCounty and the state. In the Region’s six towns,median family income grew by between 39.9 percent(in Weston) and 71.1 percent (in Darien) from 1990 to2000. Median family income in 2000 in the Region’s sixtowns ranged from $122,719 in Greenwich to$175,331 in New Canaan. Even when adjusted forinflation, median family incomes in the towns still grewdramatically between 1990 and 2000. Income growthin the cities of Norwalk and Stamford was moremodest, with growth rates of 23.4 percent and 20.9percent, respectively. However, median family incomesin Norwalk and Stamford actually decreased during the1990s when adjusted for inflation.A powerful indicator of the Region’s income levelsis the fact that, in 2003, more than 22 percent of thestate’s income tax revenue came from the Region,which contains only about 10 percent of the state’spopulation (Department of Revenue Services, 2002-2003 Annual Report).Educational AttainmentEducational attainment in the Region exceeds boththe state and national averages. Of those residents age25 and older, 49.4 percent held at least a bachelor’sdegree, compared to 31.4 percent of Connecticutresidents and 24.4 percent of all American adults.Additionally, almost 22 percent of the Region’s adultresidents held a graduate or professional degree,compared to the state and national averages of 13.3percent and 8.9 percent, respectively.Commercial DevelopmentCommercial activity has historically occurred in anetwork of town and city centers throughout theRegion, which were established more than 300 yearsago. These historic centers – from Stamford’s highlyurbanized downtown to Weston’s small commercialcenter – are still clearly defined and remain viabledespite competition from outlying shopping centers,“big box” stores and strip developments. In fact,contrary to the national norm, the Region’s largest15