Connecticut Towns with Dates Established

Main Street, Torrington

Connecticut is currently divided into 169 “towns” with distinct geographical boundaries. Each of these towns may contain incorporated cities or boroughs, as well as villages, post offices, and railroad depots without a distinct government. For example:

  • Mystic is a village located in both Groton & Stonington.
  • Stafford Springs is a post office in the Town of Stafford.
  • Winsted is a city within the Town of Winchester.

In other cases, the governments of once-incorporated cities and boroughs have subsequently been consolidated with the town they fall within. For example:

  • The Town of Vernon and the City of Rockville consolidated on July 1, 1965
  • The City of Willimantic consolidated with the Town of Windham July 1, 1983.

Connecticut never had strong county governments, and since 1960 the names and boundaries of its eight counties have existed only as geographical names used to define parts of the state.

Town nameCountyYear EstablishedParent TownHistory of incorporation
AndoverTolland1848Coventry, HebronMay 18, 1848; taken from Hebron and Coventry
AnsoniaNew Haven1889DerbyApril, 1889; taken from Derby
AshfordWindham1714—-Oct., 1714
AvonHartford1830FarmingtonMay, 1830; taken from Farmington
BarkhamstedLitchfield1779—-Oct., 1779
Beacon FallsNew Haven1871Bethany, Seymour, Oxford, NaugatuckJune, 1871, taken from Bethany, Oxford, Seymour and Naugatuck
BerlinHartford1785Farmington, Wethersfield, MiddletownMay, 1785; taken from Farmington, Wethersfield and Middletown
BethanyNew Haven1832WoodbridgeMay, 1832; taken from Woodbridge
BethelFairfield1855DanburyMay, 1855; taken from Danbury
BethlehemLitchfield1787WoodburyMay, 1787; taken from Woodbury, and known as “North Purchase.”
BloomfieldHartford1835Windsor, Farmington, SimsburyMay, 1835; taken from Windsor
BoltonTolland1720Oct., 1720
BozrahNew London1786NorwichMay, 1786; taken from Norwich
BranfordNew Haven1685New HavenNamed, 1653; settled 1639~1644 under New Haven jurisdiction; named 1653; set off from New Haven 1685
BridgeportFairfield1821Stratford, FairfieldMay, 1821; taken from Stratford and Fairfield; city inc., May, 1836; town and city consolidated, 1836
BridgewaterLitchfield1856New MilfordMay, 1856; taken from New Milford
BristolHartford1785FarmingtonMay, 1785; taken from Farmington. Town and city co-extensive, 1911
BrookfieldFairfield1788Danbury, New Milford, NewtownMay, 1788; taken from Danbury, New Milford and Newtown
BrooklynWindham1786Pomfret, CanterburyMay, 1786; taken from Pomfret and Canterbury
BurlingtonHartford1806BristolMay, 1806; taken from Bristol
CanaanLitchfield1739—-Oct., 1739
CanterburyWindham1703PlainfieldOct., 1703; taken from Plainfield
CantonHartford1806SimsburyMay, 1806; taken from Simsbury
ChaplinWindham1822Windham, Hampton, Mansfield1822; taken from Windham, Mansfield and Hampton
CheshireNew Haven1780WallingfordMay, 1780; taken from Wallingford
ChesterMiddlesex1836SaybrookMay, 1836; taken from Saybrook, now Chester
ClintonMiddlesex1838KillingworthMay, 1838; taken from Killingworth
ColchesterNew London1698—-1698; named, Oct., 1699
ColebrookLitchfield1779—-Oct., 1779
ColumbiaTolland1804LebanonMay, 1804; taken from Lebanon
CornwallLitchfield1740—-May, 1740
CoventryTolland1712—-May, 1712
CromwellMiddlesex1851MiddletownMay, 1851; taken from Middletown
DanburyFairfield1687—-Settled, 1685; named, Oct., 1687, Inc., town, May, 1702; city, 1889. Town and city consolidated, Jan. 1, 1965
DarienFairfield1820StamfordMay, 1820; taken from Stamford
Deep RiverMiddlesex1635—-Settled, 1635 as Saybrook; united with Connecticut, Dec., 1644; name changed to Deep River, July 1, 1947
DerbyNew Haven1675—-Named, May, 1675. Town inc., May 13, 1775. City inc., June 7, 1893. Town and city consolidated, June 7, 1893
DurhamMiddlesex1708—-Settled, 1699; named, May 1704; Inc., Oct. 1708
East GranbyHartford1858Granby, Windsor LocksJune, 1858; taken from Granby and Windsor Locks
East HaddamMiddlesex1734HaddamMay, 1734; taken from Haddam
East HamptonMiddlesex1767MiddletownInc., as Chatham, Oct., 1767; taken from Middletown
East HartfordHartford1783HartfordOct., 1783; taken from Hartford
East HavenNew Haven1785New HavenMay, 1785; taken from New Haven
East LymeNew London1839Lyme, WaterfordMay, 1839; taken from Lyme and Waterford
East WindsorHartford1768WindsorMay, 1768; taken from Windsor
EastfordWindham1847AshfordMay, 1847; taken from Ashford
EastonFairfield1845WestonMay, 1845; taken from Weston
EllingtonTolland1786East WindsorMay, 1786; taken from East Windsor
EnfieldHartford1683—-Named and inc., by Massachusetts, 1683; annexed to Conn., May, 1749
EssexMiddlesex1852SaybrookSept. 13, 1852, as Old Saybrook; taken from Saybrook. Name changed, July 8, 1854 to Essex
FairfieldFairfield1639—-Settled, 1639; named 1645; included in Connecticut Colony, May, 1685
FarmingtonHartford1645—-Inc. and named, Dec., 1645. The Town of Farmington, Borough of Unionville and Borough of Farmington were consolidated in 1947
FranklinNew London1786NorwichMay, 1786; taken from Norwich
GlastonburyHartford1690WethersfieldMay, 1693; taken from Wethersfield
GoshenLitchfield1739—-Oct., 1739
GranbyHartford1786SimsburyOct., 1786; taken from Simsbury
GreenwichFairfield1665StamfordSettled, 1640, submitted to Connecticut, Oct. 6, 1656
GriswoldNew London1815PrestonOct., 1815; taken from Preston
GrotonNew London1705New LondonMay 10, 1705; taken from New London
GuilfordNew Haven1643—-Settled, 1639; named, July 6, 1643
HaddamMiddlesex1668—-Oct. 8, 1668
HamdenNew Haven1786New HavenMay, 1786; taken from New Haven
HamptonWindham1786Windham, Pomfret, Brooklyn, Canterbury,Oct., 1786; taken from Windham, Pomfret, Brooklyn, Canterbury and Mansfield
HartfordHartford1635—-Settled in 1635; inc., 1784; city inc., May, 1784. Town and city consolidated, April, 1896
HartlandHartford1761—-May, 1761
HarwintonLitchfield1737—-Oct., 1737
HebronTolland1708—-May 26, 1708
KentLitchfield1739—-Oct., 1739
KillinglyWindham1708—-May, 1708
KillingworthMiddlesex1667Named, May, 1667
LebanonNew London1700—-Oct., 1700
LedyardNew London1836GrotonJune, 1836; taken from Groton
LisbonNew London1786NorwichMay, 1786; taken from Norwich
LitchfieldLitchfield1719—-May, 1719
LymeNew London1667SaybrookNamed, May, 1667; set off from Saybrook, now Deep River, in 1665
MadisonNew Haven1826GuilfordMay, 1826, taken from Guilford
ManchesterHartford1823East HartfordMay, 1823; taken from East Hartford
MansfieldTolland1702WindhamOct., 1702; taken from Windham
MarlboroughHartford1803Colchester, Glastonbury, HebronOct., 1803; taken from Colchester, Glastonbury and Hebron
MeridenNew Haven1806WallingfordMay, 1806; taken from Wallingford. City inc., May, 1867. Town and city consolidated, Jan. 1, 1922
MiddleburyNew Haven1807Waterbury, Woodbury, SouthburyOct., 1807; taken from Waterbury, Woodbury and Southbury
MiddlefieldMiddlesex1866MiddletownJune, 1866; taken from Middletown
MiddletownMiddlesex1651—-Town inc., Sept. 11, 1651, named, Nov. 1653; city inc., 1784, town and city consolidated, 1923
MilfordNew Haven1639—-Settled in 1639, under New Haven; named, Nov. 24, 1640; united with Connecticut Colony, 1664. Inc. as a city, June 15, 1959. Town and city consolidated, 1959
MonroeFairfield1823HuntingtonMay, 1823; taken from Huntington (now Shelton)
MontvilleNew London1786New LondonOct. 12, 1786; taken from New London
MorrisLitchfield1859LitchfieldJune, 1859; taken from Litchfield
NaugatuckNew Haven1844Waterbury, Bethany, OxfordMay, 1844; taken from Waterbury, Bethany and Oxford. Borough and town consolidated, 1895
New BritainHartford1850BerlinMay, 1850; taken from Berlin. City inc., 1871. Town and City consolidated, April, 1905
New CanaanFairfield1801Norwalk, StamfordMay, 1801; taken from Norwalk and Stamford
New FairfieldFairfield1740—-May 1740
New HartfordLitchfield1738—-Oct., 1738
New HavenNew Haven1638—-Settled, April, 1638; named, Aug., 1640; Inc., 1784; town and city consolidated, Nov., 1895
New LondonNew London1646—-Settled, 1646; named, March 11, 1658. Inc., Jan., 1784. Town and city are co-extensive
New MilfordLitchfield1712—-Oct., 1712
NewingtonHartford1871WethersfieldJuly 10, 1871; taken from Wethersfield
NewtownFairfield1711—-Oct., 1711
NorfolkLitchfield1758—-Oct., 1758
North BranfordNew Haven1831BranfordMay, 1831; taken from Branford
North CanaanLitchfield1858CanaanMay, 1858; taken from Canaan
North HavenNew Haven1786New HavenOct., 1786; taken from New Haven
North StoningtonNew London1807StoningtonMay, 1807; taken from Stonington
NorwalkFairfield1651—-Sept. 11, 1651. Town and city consolidated, Oct., 1913
NorwichNew London1662—-Settled, 1659; accepted as legal township, May, 1662; city inc., May, 1784; town and city consolidated, Jan. 1, 1952
Old LymeNew London1855Lymeoff from Saybrook, February 13, 1665; Inc., May, 1855, as South Lyme; taken from Lyme; name changed in 1857
Old SaybrookMiddlesex1854Old Saybrook (i.e., the modern Essex)July 8, 1854
OrangeNew Haven1822Milford, New HavenMay, 1822, taken from Milford and New Haven
OxfordNew Haven1798Derby, SouthburyOct., 1798; taken from Derby and Southbury
PlainfieldWindham1699—-as Quinabaug, May, 1699; named Plainfield, Oct., 1700
PlainvilleHartford1869FarmingtonJuly, 1869; taken from Farmington
PlymouthLitchfield1795WatertownMay, 1795; taken from Watertown
PomfretWindham1713—-Named and inc., May, 1713
PortlandMiddlesex1841ChathamMay, 1841; taken from Chatham
PrestonNew London1687—-Oct., 1687
ProspectNew Haven1827Cheshire, WaterburyMay, 1827; taken from Cheshire and Waterbury
PutnamWindham1855Thompson, Pomfret, KillinglyTown inc., May, 1855; taken from Thompson, Pomfret and Killingly. City inc., Jan., 1895. Town and city consolidated, Nov. 8, 1983. The city is a Special Service Dist.
ReddingFairfield1767FairfieldMay, 1767; taken from Fairfield
RidgefieldFairfield1709—-Settled, 1708; inc., Oct., 1709; town and borough consolidated, May 11, 1921
Rocky HillHartford1843WethersfieldMay, 1843; taken from Wethersfield
RoxburyLitchfield1796WoodburyOct., 1796; taken from Woodbury
SalemNew London1819Colchester, Lyme, MontvilleMay 5, 1819; taken from Colchester, Lyme and Montville
SalisburyLitchfield1741—-Oct., 1741
ScotlandWindham1857WindhamMay, 1857; taken from Windham
SeymourNew Haven1850DerbyMay, 1850; taken from Derby
SharonLitchfield1739—-Oct., 1739
SheltonFairfield1789StratfordJan., 1789; taken from Stratford; city inc., 1915; town and city of Shelton, co-extensive
ShermanFairfield1802New FairfieldOct., 1802; taken from New Fairfield
SimsburyHartford1670—-Named, May, 1670
SomersTolland1734EnfieldNamed, July, 1734; annexed to Connecticut, May, 1749
South WindsorHartford1845East WindsorMay, 1845; taken from East Windsor
SouthburyNew Haven1787WoodburyMay, 1787; taken from Woodbury
SouthingtonHartford1779FarmingtonOct., 1779; taken from Farmington. Town and borough consolidated, 1947
SpragueNew London1861Lisbon, FranklinMay, 1861; acquired from Lisbon and Franklin
StaffordTolland1719—-Settled, 1719
StamfordFairfield1641—-Settled, 1641, under New Haven jurisdiction; named Town of Stamford in 1642; submitted to Connecticut, Oct., 1662; in 1893, the City of Stamford, comprising central portion of Town of Stamford, was incorporated. Henceforth, City of Stamford became a composite part of Town of Stamford, resulting in two separate governments–the Town of Stamford and City of Stamford. Town and City of Stamford were consolidated on April 15, 1949 and named City of Stamford
SterlingWindham1794VoluntownMay 4, 1794; taken from Voluntown
StoningtonNew London1662—-Settled, 1649; named, 1666
StratfordFairfield1639—-Settled, 1639
SuffieldHartford1674—-May, 1674, by Massachusetts; annexed to Connecticut, May, 1749
ThomastonLitchfield1875PlymouthJuly, 1875; taken from Plymouth
ThompsonWindham1785KillinglyMay, 1785; taken from Killingly
TollandTolland1715—-Named, May 1715. Inc., May, 1722
TorringtonLitchfield1740—-Inc. as a town, Oct. 1740; inc. as a city, Oct. 1, 1923. Town and city consolidated, 1923
TrumbullFairfield1797StratfordOct., 1797; taken from Stratford
UnionTolland1734—-Oct., 1734
VernonTolland1808BoltonTown inc., Oct., 1808; taken from Bolton. City of Rockville inc., Jan., 1889. Town of Vernon and City of Rockville consolidated, July 1, 1965
VoluntownNew London1721—-May, 1721
WallingfordNew Haven1670New HavenNamed, May, 1670. Town and borough consolidated, Jan. 1, 1958
WarrenLitchfield1786KentMay, 1786; taken from Kent
WashingtonLitchfield1779Woodbury, Litchfield, Kent, New MilfordJan., 1779; taken from Woodbury, Litchfield, Kent and New Milford
WaterburyNew Haven1686—-Town inc., May, 1686; city inc., 1853; town and city consolidated, 1902
WaterfordNew London1801New LondonOct., 1801; taken from New London
WatertownLitchfield1780WaterburyMay, 1780; taken from Waterbury
West HartfordHartford1854HartfordMay, 1854; taken from Hartford
West HavenNew Haven1921OrangeJune 24, 1921; taken from Orange; inc. as a city, June 27, 1961
WestbrookMiddlesex1840SaybrookMay, 1840; taken from Saybrook (Deep River)
WestonFairfield1787FairfieldOct., 1787; taken from Fairfield, Inc., 1845, the town was divided and Easton was taken from Weston
WestportFairfield1835Fairfield, Norwalk, WestonMay 28, 1835; taken from Fairfield, Norwalk and Weston
WethersfieldHartford1634—-Settled, 1634; named, 1637; inc., May, 1822
WillingtonTolland1727—-May, 1727
WiltonFairfield1802NorwalkMay, 1802; taken from Norwalk
WinchesterLitchfield1771—-May, 1771
WindhamWindham1692—-Town inc., May, 1692. City of Willimantic inc., Jan. 1893. Town of Windham and City of Willimantic consolidated July 1, 1983
WindsorHartford1633—-Settled, Sept. 26, 1633; named, Feb., 1637
Windsor LocksHartford1854WindsorMay, 1854; taken from Windsor
WolcottNew Haven1796Waterbury, SouthingtonMay, 1796; taken from Waterbury and Southington
WoodbridgeNew Haven1784New Haven, MilfordJan., 1784; taken from New Haven and Milford
WoodburyLitchfield1673—-Named, May, 1673
WoodstockWindham1690—-Settled, 1686; named New Roxbury; name changed, March, 1690, to Woodstock. Annexed to Conn., May, 1749

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