Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut

Last updated

Western Connecticut Planning Region
Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG)
SoNo Historic Meets Modern Downtown.jpg
Saugatuck River, Westport.jpg
Greenwich Avenue (32025341043).jpg
Down the Hatch - Candlewood Lake.jpg
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WestCOG Logo.png
Map of Connecticut highlighting Western Connecticut Planning Region.svg
Location within the U.S. state of Connecticut
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Connecticut's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 41°19′N73°29′W / 41.31°N 73.48°W / 41.31; -73.48
CountryFlag of the United States.svg United States
StateFlag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut
Founded2013
Largest city Stamford
Other cities Norwalk, Danbury
Government
  Executive DirectorFrancis Pickering
Area
  Total
532.1 sq mi (1,378 km2)
Population
 (2020)
  Total
620,549
  Estimate 
(2024)
637,013
Time zone UTC−5 (Eastern)
  Summer (DST) UTC−4 (EDT)
Congressional districts 4th, 5th
Website westcog.org
Western Connecticut Planning Region, Connecticut
Interactive map of the Western Connecticut Planning Region

The Western Connecticut Planning Region is a planning region and county-equivalent in Connecticut. It is served by the coterminous Western Connecticut Council of Governments (WestCOG), one of nine regional councils of governments in Connecticut. Within the region, there are two Metropolitan Planning Organizations, South Western CT MPO and the Housatonic Valley MPO.

Contents

The region includes the Connecticut Panhandle, Greater Danbury, and the Gold Coast. In 2022, planning regions were approved to replace Connecticut's counties as county-equivalents for statistical purposes, with full implementation occurring in 2024. [1] [2]

WestCOG serves as the states planning region closest to New York. All towns within the planning region are included within the New York Metropolitan Area, with towns like Greenwich & Stamford being hubs for commuters who work in the city.

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note
2020 620,549
2024 (est.)637,013 [3] 2.7%
U.S. Decennial Census [2]

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 620,549 people living in the Western Connecticut Planning Region, making it the second most populated region in the state behind the Capitol Planning Region.

Municipalities

Stamford is the most populous city in the Western Connecticut Region StamfordHarbor.jpg
Stamford is the most populous city in the Western Connecticut Region

The following municipalities are members of the Western Connecticut Region: [4]

Cities

Towns

References

  1. "Governor Lamont Announces U.S. Census Bureau Approves Proposal for Connecticut's Planning Regions To Become County Equivalents". CT.gov. Archived from the original on June 6, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Change to County-Equivalents in the State of Connecticut". Federal Register . June 6, 2022. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
  3. "County Population Totals and Components of Change: 2020-2024". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved September 4, 2025.
  4. "About". Western Connecticut Council of Governments. Retrieved March 24, 2023.