Connecticut County Map: 8 Historical Counties
Connecticut completely abolished county government in 1960. Starting with its 2022 data products, the US Census Bureau adopted Connecticut’s 9 Planning Regions (Councils of Governments or COGs) as county-equivalents, replacing the 8 legacy historic counties.
Connecticut at a Glance
Connecticut County Map
Historical Counties of Connecticut with the state capital, Hartford, marked. Hover a shape for its name or click it to jump to its row in the list below.
Printable Blank Map of Connecticut with All Historical Counties
Download the Connecticut outline as SVG or PNG, or print it to PDF, in several variants: blank boundary, with historical counties lines, color-filled and labeled. Free to use (CC0).
The 1960 Abolition: Why Connecticut Has No County Governments
On October 1, 1960, Public Act 152 took effect, dissolving county government across all 8 Connecticut counties.
In New England political tradition, the town meeting and municipal corporation have always held primary democratic sovereignty. By the mid-20th century, Connecticut’s 8 historic counties (Fairfield, Hartford, Litchfield, Middlesex, New Haven, New London, Tolland, Windham) managed only county jails and nominal courthouses, while collecting small property tax levies.
Recognizing that county commissioners were redundant and politically patronized, the Connecticut General Assembly passed Public Act 152 in 1959. On October 1, 1960, all county property, jails, and courthouse assets were transferred directly to the State of Connecticut.
For 64 years following the abolition, the 8 historic counties remained on federal maps solely as geographic boundaries for statistical reporting by the US Census Bureau, despite having no legal or political existence in state law.
Connecticut is composed of 169 incorporated towns. Every square inch of the state falls inside a town; there is zero unincorporated land in Connecticut. Each town manages its own police, schools, property records, and zoning boards.
The 2022 Federal Census Adoption: 9 Planning Regions Replace 8 Counties
In 2022, the Federal Register published the official approval of Connecticut’s petition to adopt Planning Regions as county equivalents for all federal statistical purposes.
Because the historic 8 counties had no administrative reality, regional planning and federal transportation block grants were managed by 9 voluntary Councils of Governments (COGs), such as the Capitol Region Council of Governments (CRCOG) and the Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG).
In 2017, the State of Connecticut formally petitioned the US Census Bureau to replace the 8 non-functioning counties with these 9 Planning Regions for all decennial census, American Community Survey (ACS), and federal grant allocations.
The Census Bureau published its final rule in the Federal Register in June 2022. Beginning with the 2022 Census geographic products and later data releases, the 9 Planning Regions represent Connecticut’s official FIPS county equivalents (FIPS codes 09110 through 09190).
The 9 county-equivalent Planning Regions are: Capitol, Greater Bridgeport, Lower Connecticut River Valley, Naugatuck Valley, Northeastern Connecticut, Northwest Hills, South Central Connecticut, Southeastern Connecticut, and Western Connecticut.
How Local Government Operates in Connecticut: Regional Councils of Governments (COGs) & Strong Town Rule
Connecticut has zero county-level officials, taxes, or courts. Local power is held entirely by its 169 independent towns. Regional coordination occurs through 9 regional Planning Bodies that now serve as federal county-equivalent statistical units.
Connecticut County Rankings: Population & Land Area
Comparative demographic and territorial distribution across Connecticut's largest administrative subdivisions based on the 2020 US Census Decennial count.
Top 10 Most Populous Historical Counties
| # | County | Seat | Population | % State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fairfield County | Bridgeport | 0 | 0% |
| 2 | Hartford County | Hartford | 0 | 0% |
| 3 | Litchfield County | Litchfield | 0 | 0% |
| 4 | Middlesex County | Middletown | 0 | 0% |
| 5 | New Haven County | New Haven | 0 | 0% |
| 6 | New London County | New London | 0 | 0% |
| 7 | Tolland County | Tolland | 0 | 0% |
| 8 | Windham County | Windham | 0 | 0% |
Top 10 Largest Historical Counties by Land Area
| # | County | Seat | Land Area | % State |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Litchfield County | Litchfield | 920.5 sq mi | 19.0% |
| 2 | Hartford County | Hartford | 734.9 sq mi | 15.2% |
| 3 | New London County | New London | 665.1 sq mi | 13.7% |
| 4 | Fairfield County | Bridgeport | 625 sq mi | 12.9% |
| 5 | New Haven County | New Haven | 604.3 sq mi | 12.5% |
| 6 | Windham County | Windham | 512.9 sq mi | 10.6% |
| 7 | Tolland County | Tolland | 410.4 sq mi | 8.5% |
| 8 | Middlesex County | Middletown | 369.3 sq mi | 7.6% |
Which county of Connecticut are you in?
Use your device location to see which county of Connecticut you are in right now.
List of All 8 Historical Counties in Connecticut
Every county in Connecticut is listed below with its seat, 2020 Census population, land area and FIPS code. Search by name, seat or FIPS, sort any column, or export the full table as CSV.
County | Seat | 2020 Census Pop | Land Area (sq mi) | FIPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Fairfield County | Bridgeport | 0 | 625 sq mi | 09001 |
Hartford County | Hartford | 0 | 735 sq mi | 09003 |
Litchfield County | Litchfield | 0 | 921 sq mi | 09005 |
Middlesex County | Middletown | 0 | 369 sq mi | 09007 |
New Haven County | New Haven | 0 | 604 sq mi | 09009 |
New London County | New London | 0 | 665 sq mi | 09011 |
Tolland County | Tolland | 0 | 410 sq mi | 09013 |
Windham County | Windham | 0 | 513 sq mi | 09015 |
Neighboring States Bordering Connecticut
County maps, lists and printable blank maps for the states that border Connecticut:
Data Sources & FIPS Codes
Connecticut uses state FIPS code 09; each county adds a three-digit code to form the five-digit FIPS (now INCITS 31) identifiers in the table. Populations are 2020 Census counts and land areas come from the Census Gazetteer. The map above is drawn from the Census Bureau's generalized 2017 cartographic boundary file (1:10,000,000), so it suits overview and printing, not parcel-level or legal boundary questions; for those, check the local assessor or GIS office.
Questions About Connecticut Historical Counties
Does Connecticut have county seats or county sheriffs?
No. Connecticut has neither county seats nor county sheriffs. County government was eliminated in 1960, and the office of county sheriff was formally abolished by state constitutional amendment in 2000, replaced by the State Judicial Marshal system.
Why did the Census Bureau change Connecticut’s county maps in 2022?
Connecticut requested the change because the 8 old counties had been legally dead since 1960, causing misaligned economic data and disadvantaging regional Councils of Governments (COGs) when applying for federal funding formulas based on county metrics. The 9 Planning Regions reflect real economic commuting and planning boundaries.
Can you live in an "unincorporated area" in Connecticut?
No. All land in Connecticut is incorporated into one of 169 towns. Cities and boroughs in Connecticut are either coextensive with their towns (like Bridgeport, Hartford, and New Haven) or sub-entities within a parent town.
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