Connecticut has many things to see and do, such as beautiful scenery, a rich history, and excellent educational options. Still, not every part of Connecticut is equally appealing to people who live there. Some towns have high crime rates, low incomes, schools that don’t do well, and few job opportunities. One city stands out as the worst place to live in Connecticut when you look at things like safety, cost, education, and services. That city is Hartford.
Harlem: The City’s Capital with a Dark Side
With 122,245 people, Hartford is the fourth most popular city in Connecticut. It is also the state capital and the county seat. Unfortunately, being the political center of the state doesn’t mean that the people who live there have a better quality of life. Several websites, such as 24/7 Wall St., House Grail, and Upgraded Home, all say that Hartford is the worst place in Connecticut to live in.
The alarmingly high crime rate in Hartford is a major reason for its bad image. The FBI reported 858 violent crimes for every 100,000 people living in Hartford in 2019. This made it the most dangerous city in Connecticut and one of the most dangerous cities in the country. Notably, it had the state’s highest murder rate (17 murders for every 100,000 people), which was not a good thing. The rate of property theft was also very high, with 2,801 incidents per 100,000 people.
A second reason why Hartford is not liked is that it has low incomes and a lot of poverty. It was less than half of the state median income of $78,833 in 2019. The typical household income in Hartford was only $36,279,000. More than twice as many people in Hartford (30.5%) lived in poverty as the state average (10.4%). Also, Hartford’s jobless rate was 8.4% in 2019, which was higher than the state rate of 6.9%.
In addition to its low ranking, Hartford’s poor school system and lack of services are also major problems. The 2019 completion rate for public schools in Hartford was only 71.5%, which was lower than the 88.5% rate for the whole state. There were 14.6 students for every teacher in Hartford, which is more than the state average of 12.4. Also, Hartford is not as good as other Connecticut towns when it comes to entertainment, recreation, and culture. For instance, it has 0.9 museums for every 100,000 people, which is a lot less than the 2.4 museums that are found in the rest of the state.
In conclusion
Overall, Hartford is the least desirable place in Connecticut to live in for a number of strong reasons. It has the most crime, the lowest incomes, the most widespread poverty, the lowest graduation rates, and the fewest comforts in the state. Because of this, life in Hartford can be dangerous, stressful, and boring for many people who live there. The city is important for its history and politics, but it doesn’t offer a good quality of life.