Greater Bridgeport Planning Region, Connecticut
Planning region in Connecticut
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Greater Bridgeport Planning Region is a planning region and county-equivalent in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is served by the coterminous Connecticut Metropolitan Council of Governments (MetroCOG). In 2022, planning regions were approved to replace Connecticut's counties as county-equivalents for statistical purposes, with full implementation occurring by 2024.[1][2]
Connecticut Metropolitan Council of Governments (MetroCOG) | |
|---|---|
    | |
 Logo | |
 Location within the U.S. state of Connecticut | |
| Coordinates: 41°11′N 73°11′W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Connecticut |
| Founded | 2013 |
| Largest city | Bridgeport |
| Government | |
| • Executive Director | Matthew Fulda |
| Area | |
• Total | 140.2 sq mi (363 km2) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 325,778 |
• Estimate (2025) | 337,697  |
| Time zone | UTC−5 (Eastern) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−4 (EDT) |
| Congressional districts | 3rd, 4th |
| Website | ctmetro |
MetroCOG policies and activities
MetroCOG is a council of governments and a regional planning organization serving Bridgeport, Fairfield, Easton, Monroe, Stratford, and Trumbull. It regulates economic development, transportation, and environmental quality in the region. MetroCOG also serves as a "host agency" for the Greater Bridgeport and Valley Metropolitan Planning Organization.[3][4] Mike Tetreau, a Fairfield First Selectman, has served as Executive Director since 2018.[5] The headquarters of MetroCOG is located at 1000 Lafayette Blvd. in Bridgeport.
As of 2018, MetroCOG is looking into initiating a bike-sharing system that would service Bridgeport, Fairfield and Stratford and perhaps Trumbull, Monroe and Easton.[6]
Another priority of the council was to gain a "county government equivalence designation" from the United States Census in order to be able to apply for many federal programs as since 1960, Connecticut has no county governments.[7] This change was made official by the U.S. Census Bureau in 2022.
In 2017 the council worked to secure a $2,050,000 state grant to improve the Pequonnock River trail.[8]
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1800 | 1,291 | — | |
| 1810 | 2,330 | 80.5% | |
| 1820 | 10,321 | 343.0% | |
| 1830 | 12,762 | 23.7% | |
| 1840 | 12,009 | −5.9% | |
| 1850 | 17,397 | 44.9% | |
| 1860 | 24,178 | 39.0% | |
| 1870 | 31,495 | 30.3% | |
| 1880 | 39,267 | 24.7% | |
| 1890 | 58,790 | 49.7% | |
| 1900 | 82,732 | 40.7% | |
| 1910 | 117,596 | 42.1% | |
| 1920 | 172,152 | 46.4% | |
| 1930 | 189,004 | 9.8% | |
| 1940 | 199,120 | 5.4% | |
| 1950 | 236,324 | 18.7% | |
| 1960 | 278,131 | 17.7% | |
| 1970 | 311,130 | 11.9% | |
| 1980 | 300,897 | −3.3% | |
| 1990 | 299,708 | −0.4% | |
| 2000 | 307,607 | 2.6% | |
| 2010 | 318,004 | 3.4% | |
| 2020 | 325,778 | 2.4% | |
| 2025 (est.) | 337,697 | [9] | 3.7% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[2] | |||
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 325,778 people living in the Greater Bridgeport Planning Region.[2]
Municipalities
The following municipalities are members of the Greater Bridgeport Region:[10]
