Connecticut market snapshots: Comparing jobs, businesses and property taxes

Connecticut municipalities face stark economic contrasts according to the Connecticut Commercial Opportunity Index, developed by the Yankee Institute in partnership with the Hartford Business Journal. The data, published as part of the 2026 Best Places for Business snapshots, reveals where jobs concentrate, which cities anchor the state’s business infrastructure, and how property tax burdens vary across towns.

Where Connecticut Goes to Work

Employment centers in the state show a heavy concentration in coastal and capital corridors. New Haven leads the state with 84,498 total jobs, narrowly outpacing Hartford at 82,281. Stamford follows close behind with 71,615 jobs.

Rank	Municipality	Jobs
1	New Haven	84,498
2	Hartford	82,281
3	Stamford	71,615
4	Bridgeport	43,635
5	Norwalk	42,297
6	Greenwich	41,552
7	Waterbury	39,952
8	Danbury	39,070
9	Groton	32,684
10	Stratford	32,305

While employment counts measure daily workforce density, business establishment counts illustrate where corporate entities choose to register and operate. Stamford claims the highest number of business establishments in the state with 18,305, followed by Bridgeport with 12,707 and Greenwich with 12,695.

Commercial Footprints and Tax Bases

The share of a municipality’s tax base derived from commercial and industrial property dictates how much financial weight commercial entities lift off local homeowners. Bloomfield leads the state with 35% of its tax base rooted in commercial and industrial property. New London follows at 34%, with Windsor right behind at 33%.

At the other end of the spectrum, mill rates—calculated as five-year averages for real property covering fiscal years 2022 through 2026—demonstrate wide municipal disparities. Hartford records the highest five-year average real-property mill rate in the state at 70.02. Hamden records the second-highest at 54.36, followed by Waterbury at 53.81.

Rank	Municipality	Five-year average mill rate
1	Hartford	70.02
2	Hamden	54.36
3	Waterbury	53.81
4	Torrington	45.54
5	East Hartford	44.56
6	Naugatuck	44.37
7	Bridgeport	43.45
8	New Britain	43.21
9	West Hartford	42.23
10	Woodbridge	42.11

Conversely, the state’s lowest five-year average mill rates cluster heavily in smaller, western communities. Salisbury reports the lowest average at 11, with Greenwich close behind at 11.6 and Washington at 12.89.