Hartford, Connecticut

Hartford, Connecticut
State capital
City of Hartford
From top to bottom, left to right: Downtown Hartford skyline from the Connecticut River, Connecticut State Capitol, Old State House, University of Connecticut School of Law, Hartford Seminary, historic Cheney Building
Flag Seal
Nickname(s): The Insurance Capital of the World The Heartbeat New England's Rising Star  City of Dreams
Location in Hartford County, Connecticut
Hartford Location in the United States
Coordinates: 41°45′45.85″N 72°40′27.43″W / 41.7627361°N 72.6742861°W / 41.7627361; -72.6742861
Country	United States
State	Connecticut
County	Hartford
NECTA	Hartford
Region	Capitol Region
Settled	1636
Named	1637
Incorporated (city)	1784
Consolidated	1896
Government
• Type	Mayor-council
• Mayor	Luke Bronin (D)
• Council	Hartford City Council
Area
• State capital	18.0 sq mi (46.5 km2)
• Land	17.3 sq mi (44.8 km2)
• Water	0.7 sq mi (1.7 km2)
• Urban	469 sq mi (1,216 km2)
Elevation	59 ft (18 m)
Population (2014)
• State capital	124,893
• Density	7,025.5/sq mi (2,776/km2)
• Urban	924,859 (US: 47th)
• Metro	1,214,295 (US: 47th)
• CSA	1,489,361 (US: 36th)
Time zone	EST (UTC−5)
• Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC−4)
ZIP code	061xx
Area code(s)	860 and 959
FIPS code	09-37000
GNIS feature ID	0213160
Website	www.hartford.gov

Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making it Connecticut's third-largest city after the coastal cities of Bridgeport and New Haven. Census Bureau estimates since then have indicated Hartford's subsequent fall to fourth place statewide as a result of sustained population growth in the coastal city of Stamford.

Nicknamed the "Insurance Capital of the World", Hartford houses many insurance company headquarters, and insurance remains the region's major industry. Founded in 1635, Hartford is among the oldest cities in the United States. Hartford is home to the nation's oldest public art museum, the Wadsworth Atheneum; the oldest publicly funded park, Bushnell Park; the oldest continuously published newspaper, The Hartford Courant; the second-oldest secondary school, Hartford Public; Trinity College, an elite, private liberal arts college, and the Mark Twain House where the author wrote his most famous works and raised his family, among other historically significant attractions. In 1868, resident Mark Twain wrote, "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief."

Following the American Civil War, Hartford was the richest city in the United States for several decades. Today, Hartford is one of the poorest cities in the nation with 3 out of every 10 families living below the poverty line. In sharp contrast, the Hartford metropolitan area is ranked 32nd of 318 metropolitan areas in total economic production and 7th out of 280 metropolitan statistical areas in per capita income. Highlighting the socio-economic disparity between Hartford and its suburbs, 83% of Hartford's jobs are filled by commuters from neighboring towns who earn over $80,000, while 75% of Hartford residents who commute to work in other towns earn just $40,000.