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SalisburyCT TownHallSalisbury, #1 on this list · Photo: Doug Kerr · CC BY-SA 2.0
Connecticut rankings · Civic life

Towns with the most civic life in Connecticut

Salisbury ranks first on civic life among Connecticut’s 155 towns of 2,500+; 34 of the 155 grade A− or better on civic life nationally.

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. How grades work

#1

Salisbury

4,290 people
A+

Civic life grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall B · #77 of 151 in CT

#2

East Haddam

9,043 people
A+

Civic life grade, better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #49 of 151 in CT

#3

Kent

3,101 people
A+

Civic life grade, better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #23 of 151 in CT

All 155 towns

Civic life grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 21 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

155 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1Salisbury4,290 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall B · #77 of 151
2East Haddam9,043 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #49 of 151
3Kent3,101 peopleA+better than 97% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #23 of 151
4Bethlehem3,455 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #74 of 151
5Litchfield8,381 peopleA+better than 96% of U.S. towns·No overall grade
6Weston10,517 peopleA+better than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #8 of 151
7Washington3,733 peopleAbetter than 95% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #58 of 151
8Wilton19,435 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 151
9Woodbury10,005 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #102 of 151
10Guilford22,322 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #40 of 151
11Woodbridge9,160 peopleAbetter than 91% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #18 of 151
12Sherman3,618 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #68 of 151
13Essex6,819 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #27 of 151
14Durham7,209 peopleAbetter than 90% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #48 of 151
15East Granby5,432 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #25 of 151
16Redding8,847 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #4 of 151
T17Sharon2,783 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #125 of 151
T17Westport28,301 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #14 of 151
19Ridgefield25,373 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #2 of 151
20Newtown28,183 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #61 of 151
21East Lyme19,223 peopleAbetter than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #32 of 151
22Simsbury25,582 peopleAbetter than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #21 of 151
23Avon19,096 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #19 of 151
24Harwinton5,751 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #42 of 151
25Canton10,304 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #24 of 151
T26Columbia5,352 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #78 of 151
T26New Canaan21,208 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #7 of 151
28Tolland14,752 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #56 of 151
29Old Lyme7,702 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #12 of 151
30Fairfield66,262 peopleA−better than 79% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #38 of 151
31East Hampton13,134 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #41 of 151
32Deep River4,468 peopleA−better than 78% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #33 of 151
33Madison17,734 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #9 of 151
34Old Saybrook10,680 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #51 of 151
T35Goshen3,298 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·No overall grade
T35New Hartford6,748 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #60 of 151
37Killingworth6,288 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #52 of 151
38Middlefield4,276 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #106 of 151
39Haddam8,947 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #62 of 151
40Granby11,963 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #16 of 151
41Marlborough6,213 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #54 of 151
42Hebron9,256 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #44 of 151
43Trumbull38,075 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #66 of 151
44Suffield16,046 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #37 of 151
45Salem4,324 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #36 of 151
46Greenwich64,801 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #17 of 151
47Easton7,838 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #5 of 151
48Stafford11,721 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #107 of 151
49Cheshire30,983 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #6 of 151
50Darien22,583 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #11 of 151
51Farmington28,632 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #29 of 151
52West Hartford64,242 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #80 of 151
53Bolton4,875 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #22 of 151
54Putnam9,402 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #126 of 151
55Colchester15,825 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #73 of 151
56Griswold11,690 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #129 of 151
57Pomfret4,378 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #69 of 151
58Clinton13,439 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #83 of 151
59North Stonington5,242 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #28 of 151
60Jewett CityNew London County · 3,456 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #139 of 151
61Branford28,724 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #90 of 151
62Andover3,173 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #43 of 151
T63Portland9,449 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #26 of 151
T63Southbury20,468 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #96 of 151
T63Winchester10,360 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #93 of 151
66Waterford20,435 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #92 of 151
67Burlington9,874 peopleBbetter than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #55 of 151
68Orange14,416 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #91 of 151
69Woodstock8,474 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #99 of 151
70Windsor29,879 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #108 of 151
71North Canaan3,231 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #122 of 151
72Wallingford44,406 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #53 of 151
73Barkhamsted3,726 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #50 of 151
74North Haven24,799 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #84 of 151
75Westbrook6,918 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #39 of 151
76Voluntown2,653 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #110 of 151
77Stonington18,832 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #47 of 151
78Ledyard15,601 peopleBbetter than 58% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #67 of 151
79East Windsor11,342 peopleBbetter than 57% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #121 of 151
80Bethany5,339 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #13 of 151
81Somers10,938 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #64 of 151
82Lebanon7,142 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #98 of 151
T83Canterbury5,251 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #88 of 151
T83Monroe19,341 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #1 of 151
85Plymouth11,902 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #85 of 151
86Ashford4,265 peopleB−better than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #113 of 151
87Coventry12,446 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #15 of 151
88Chester3,726 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #86 of 151
89MiddletownMiddlesex County · 48,439 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #115 of 151
90New LondonNew London County · 28,003 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #144 of 151
T91Glastonbury35,503 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #20 of 151
T91New Fairfield13,674 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #63 of 151
93Cromwell14,350 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #79 of 151
T94Groton39,138 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #97 of 151
T94North Branford13,551 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #76 of 151
96Killingly18,177 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #138 of 151
97Preston4,873 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #114 of 151
98Bethel21,682 peopleB−better than 47% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #31 of 151
99New HavenNew Haven County · 138,774 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #148 of 151
100Rocky Hill21,575 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #35 of 151
101Windsor Locks12,617 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #94 of 151
102Brookfield18,566 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #45 of 151
103Ellington16,594 peopleC+better than 43% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #59 of 151
T104Plainville17,746 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #87 of 151
T104Thompson9,566 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #123 of 151
106NorwichNew London County · 40,001 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #145 of 151
107Sprague2,954 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #131 of 151
108NaugatuckNew Haven County · 32,230 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #111 of 151
109Lisbon4,260 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #104 of 151
110Middlebury8,093 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #10 of 151
111New Milford28,941 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #89 of 151
112Wethersfield27,291 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #57 of 151
113Newington31,647 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #95 of 151
114Mansfield College campus29,062 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall A
115South Windsor27,036 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #34 of 151
116DanielsonWindham County · 4,265 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #147 of 151
117Oxford13,311 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #82 of 151
118Thomaston7,572 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #30 of 151
119Prospect9,638 peopleC+better than 35% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #70 of 151
120Berlin20,698 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #72 of 151
121Wolcott16,573 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #46 of 151
122Manchester59,773 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #127 of 151
123Willington5,601 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #112 of 151
T124GrotonNew London County · 10,160 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #120 of 151
T124SheltonFairfield County · 42,880 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #71 of 151
126Southington44,242 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #65 of 151
127Hamden61,824 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #133 of 151
128StamfordFairfield County · 139,535 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #119 of 151
129HartfordHartford County · 121,981 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #151 of 151
130Seymour17,153 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #81 of 151
131Bloomfield22,267 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #128 of 151
132Milford53,606 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·No overall grade
133BristolHartford County · 62,341 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #124 of 151
134Montville18,001 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #105 of 151
135Windham24,139 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #141 of 151
136East Haven27,925 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #130 of 151
137NorwalkFairfield County · 94,508 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #109 of 151
138DerbyNew Haven County · 12,925 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #142 of 151
139Watertown22,526 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #75 of 151
140Stratford53,908 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #116 of 151
141Beacon Falls6,307 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #101 of 151
142Enfield41,142 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #118 of 151
143Brooklyn8,748 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #117 of 151
T144TorringtonLitchfield County · 35,796 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #134 of 151
T144Vernon30,842 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #100 of 151
146Plainfield15,381 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #103 of 151
147MeridenNew Haven County · 60,810 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #140 of 151
148West HavenNew Haven County · 55,351 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #132 of 151
149Sterling3,736 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #143 of 151
150New BritainHartford County · 76,286 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #149 of 151
151AnsoniaNew Haven County · 19,216 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #137 of 151
152East Hartford50,968 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #136 of 151
153DanburyFairfield County · 89,033 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #135 of 151
154WaterburyNew Haven County · 115,771 peopleD−better than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #150 of 151
155BridgeportFairfield County · 152,273 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #146 of 151
Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which Connecticut town has the most civic life?

Salisbury () ranks first on civic life among 155 towns, with an A+; East Haddam and Kent follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a civic life grade (155 in Connecticut). Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Connecticut page.

Go deeper

More Connecticut lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Connecticut rankings →
Best places to live151 towns · #1 MonroeBest small towns54 towns · #1 ReddingMost affordable towns155 towns · #1 CanterburySafest towns90 towns · #1 WestonTowns with the best schools152 towns · #1 New CanaanHealthiest towns154 towns · #1 Darien and WestonBest towns for jobs & income155 towns · #1 BethanyMost walkable towns155 towns · #1 New HavenTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk155 towns · #1 HebronBest towns for the outdoors155 towns · #1 GlastonburyMost historic towns155 towns · #1 New LondonTowns with the least snow149 towns · #1 East LymeDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns149 towns · #1 GoshenDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters207 towns · #1 Greenwich and 2 moreDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers207 towns · #1 Windsor LocksDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers207 towns · #1 GoshenDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes155 towns · #1 Darien and 3 moreDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes142 towns · #1 Windsor LocksDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns155 towns · #1 GranbyDescribed, no lettersTowns with the most-used libraries123 towns · #1 New CanaanDescribed, no letters
Other states

Towns with the most civic life in other states

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