| Wallingford | |
| Official Name: | Town of Wallingford |
| Settlement Type: | Town |
| Motto: | "A Great New England Town"[1] |
| Coordinates: | 41.4564°N -72.8042°W |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Name: | United States |
| Subdivision Type1: | U.S. state |
| Subdivision Name1: | Connecticut |
| Subdivision Type2: | County |
| Subdivision Name2: | New Haven |
| Subdivision Type3: | Region |
| Subdivision Name3: | South Central CT |
| Subdivision Type4: | MSA |
| Subdivision Name4: | Greater New Haven |
| Subdivision Type5: | CSA |
| Subdivision Name5: | New York |
| Established Title: | Established |
| Established Date: | 1670 |
| Government Type: | Mayor-council |
| Leader Title: | Mayor |
| Leader Name: | Vincent Cervoni (R) |
| Leader Title1: | Town Council |
| Unit Pref: | Imperial |
| Area Total Km2: | 103.3 |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 39.9 |
| Area Land Km2: | 101.1 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 39.0 |
| Area Water Km2: | 2.2 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 0.9 |
| Elevation M: | 46 |
| Elevation Ft: | 151 |
| Population Total: | 44396 |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Postal Code Type: | ZIP Codes |
| Postal Code: | 06492, 06493 |
| Area Code: | 203/475 |
| Timezone: | Eastern |
| Utc Offset: | −5 |
| Timezone Dst: | Eastern |
| Utc Offset Dst: | −4 |
| Blank Name: | FIPS code |
| Blank Info: | 09-78740 |
| Blank1 Name: | GNIS feature ID |
| Blank1 Info: | 0213522 |
Wallingford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, centrally located between New Haven and Hartford, and Boston and New York City. The town is part of the South Central Connecticut Planning Region. The population was 44,396 at the 2020 census.[2] The community was named after Wallingford, in England.[3]
The Connecticut General Assembly created the town on October 10, 1667. This original plot of land near the Quinnipiac River is now considered Main Street. Starting on May 12, 1670, there were 126 people who lived in temporary housing, and five years later in 1675 there were 40 permanent homes.[4]
In 1697 Wallingford was the site of the last witchcraft trial in New England. Winifred Benham was thrice tried for witchcraft and acquitted all three times.[5]
The 1878 Wallingford tornado struck on August 9 of that year. It killed at least 29 and possibly as many as 34 people in Wallingford, the most by any tornado event in Connecticut history.
Wallingford is home to a large variety of industries and major corporations spanning the spectrum of medical, healthcare, service, hi-tech specialty manufacturing and research development. The development of the Barnes Industrial Parks, Casimir Pulaski Industrial Park, Centract Park and MedWay Industrial Park have greatly contributed to a diversified tax base. An Interchange Zone which permits restrictive commercial development of office parks, research and development centers and hotels was created at the intersection of interstate 91 and Route 68.[6] The Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, the town's largest taxpayer, has established a research and development facility in Wallingford's MedWay Industrial Park. The Bristol-Myers Squibb Company moved out in 2017 and the structures were demolished in 2018.
In terms of Wallingford's manufacturing and design history, silver-producing companies like Hall, Elton & Co.,[7] Simpson, Hall, Miller & Co.[8] and R. Wallace & Sons are of particular note.[9] Simpson, Hall, Miller & Co. as well as Wallingford's Watrous Manufacturing Co. later became part of the International Silver Company, which was headquartered in the neighboring city of Meriden.[10]
The Wallingford Public School System consists of eight elementary schools: Cook Hill, E. C. Stevens, Highland, and Moses Y. Beach Elementary Schools covering Pre-K to second grade and Parker Farms, Pond Hill, Rock Hill, and Mary G. Fritz Elementary Schools covering grades three to five; two middle schools, Dag Hammarskjöld and James H. Moran; and two high schools, Lyman Hall and Mark T. Sheehan.[11] [12]
According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 39.9 square miles (103.3 km), of which 39.0 square miles (101.1 km) is land and 0.9 square miles (2.2 km), or 2.16%, is water.
The town of Wallingford sits astride the Quinnipiac River in northern New Haven County, roughly 90 miles northeast of New York City. It is 5miles south of Meriden and about north of New Haven. Towns bordering Wallingford are Cheshire, Durham, Hamden, Meriden, Middlefield, North Branford and North Haven. Situated in the Hartford-New Haven-Springfield corridor, Wallingford is traversed by U.S. Route 5, Interstate 91, and State Highways Route 15 (Wilbur Cross Parkway), Route 68, Route 71 and Route 150.
As of 2022, Wallingford is home to approximately 44,446 residents. The racial makeup leans white (80.2%), with a notable Hispanic presence (11.6%) and smaller proportions of Asian (4.4%) and other groups. The median age sits at 44.3, indicating a blend of families and young professionals. Family households comprise 63% of the total, with 24% having children under their roof.[15]
Wallingford’s 2022 median household income was $98,456, and the median family income was $120,823.[16] The average household and family income was $115,652 and $139,258, respectively.[17] Compared to the national average, Wallingford's median income is significantly higher, putting it in the top 25% of U.S. households.
Top employers in Wallingford according to the town's 2022 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report:[18]
| Employer |
| ||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Town of Wallingford | 1,478 | |
| 2 | Anthem BC/BS | 1,225 | |
| 3 | Gaylord Hospital | 529 | |
| 4 | Community Health Network of CT | 438 | |
| 5 | Masonic Healthcare Center | 417 | |
| 6 | Choate Rosemary Hall | 299 | |
| 7 | Ulbrich Stainless Steels & Special Metals, Inc. | 215 | |
| 8 | BYK | 197 | |
| 9 | Thurston Foods Inc | 169 | |
| 10 | Fosdick Fulfillment Corp | 157 |
Wallingford is also located on the New Haven–Springfield Line, with daily passenger service to points north and south, providing direct access to New York City along with Boston via a connection in New Haven. It is served at Wallingford station by the CT Rail (Connecticut Department of Transportation) Hartford Line trains and by Amtrak's Hartford Line, Northeast Regional, and Valley Flyer.
Tweed New Haven Airport (HVN) in East Haven, Westchester County Airport in Westchester County, and Bradley International Airport (BDL) in Windsor Locks are the closest commercial airports to Wallingford.
Wallingford is one of the relatively few communities in the state with its own electricity provider, independent of major power companies.
The Wallingford Electric Division provides electricity to the vast majority of residents in Wallingford. Sparked by the need for electric lights in the late 1890s, Wallingford's journey with power began with a privately run company. The town took the reins in 1927, birthing the Wallingford Electric Division. Growing demand led to steam plants and acquisitions, solidifying its regional role. Embracing the 21st century's green shift, the Division now leads in renewables and smart grid technologies, illuminating not just homes but a sustainable future for the town.
In 1943 and 1944 the Boston Braves held spring training in Wallingford at Choate's Winter Exercise Building.[19] The town is the home of the Connecticut Bearcats, a New England Football League team.
Ten buildings and districts in Wallingford are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: