Issue link: https://nebusinessmedia.uberflip.com/i/1547355
2026 BEST PLACES FOR BUSINESS | HBJ HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | 33 COMPLETE MUNICIPAL R ANKINGS Naugatuck – Putnam NAUGATUCK 57.2 70.1 27 7,790 2,260 14% 2,071,941 44.37 +11% NEW BRITAIN 68.1 85.3 27.9 28,896 4,559 16% 1,978,907 43.21 +9.9% NEW CANAAN 61.7 60.2 65.1 7,098 3,117 6% 2,224,680 17.66 +18.4% NEW FAIRFIELD 33.9 31.2 40.1 2,188 1,061 3% 958,050 32.34 +21.7% NEW HARTFORD 34.7 31.3 42.8 2,467 548 7% 1,067,231 29.13 +36.2% NEW HAVEN 76.2 94 34.7 84,498 10,684 29% 1,602,678 39.75 +2.6% NEW LONDON 68.3 77 48.1 16,928 1,958 34% 481,438 33.44 -2% NEW MILFORD 58.9 60.3 55.4 9,672 2,809 12% 635,298 29.23 +4% NEWINGTON 71 82.5 44.1 18,814 2,627 19% 1,963,096 39.06 +13% NEWTOWN 61.9 63.5 58.3 9,965 3,031 7% 1,817,156 30.25 +22.1% NORFOLK 23.7 11.3 52.8 451 188 5% — 26.67 +37.5% NORTH BRANFORD 56.7 57.2 55.5 4,907 1,262 13% 1,273,423 32.89 +15.8% NORTH CANAAN 38.9 36.6 44.5 1,391 392 24% 136,762 27 +44.9% NORTH HAVEN 71.7 86.4 37.6 24,148 3,170 28% 2,118,598 31.63 +14.2% NORTH STONINGTON 41.6 33 61.8 1,886 436 11% 588,848 28.76 +32.1% NORWALK 84.1 91.8 66.1 42,297 11,145 23% 2,175,744 32.69 -0.1% NORWICH 62.1 73.5 35.6 16,984 2,306 23% 545,321 38.63 +19.3% OLD LYME 51.2 41.5 73.9 3,019 1,040 6% 901,990 22.19 +25.5% OLD SAYBROOK 66.8 61.7 78.8 6,737 1,668 15% 971,247 18.26 +10% ORANGE 70.6 77.6 54.3 10,198 1,895 25% 1,808,558 31.67 +8% OXFORD 56.8 57.5 55.4 4,470 1,403 12% 1,695,547 23.54 +27.5% PLAINFIELD 54 52.9 56.5 5,500 796 17% 716,097 23.88 +27.7% PLAINVILLE 65.2 74.2 44.3 9,882 1,819 21% 1,750,824 32.72 +16.3% PLYMOUTH 36.7 42.2 23.9 3,017 824 8% 1,543,189 38.57 +13.8% POMFRET 29.3 22.6 44.9 1,813 325 7% 684,815 25.09 +13.9% PORTLAND 49.6 46.2 57.3 3,607 784 12% 1,946,414 34.06 +2.2% PRESTON 28.4 20.4 47.2 905 355 5% 474,146 25.23 +48.5% PROSPECT 46.3 46.2 46.6 2,385 844 10% 2,038,907 30.78 +4.4% PUTNAM 56.6 57.3 54.9 6,189 725 27% 787,338 21.17 +13.5% Notes: Overall Score is based on a weighted combination of Market Strength (70%) and Transaction Cost & Process (30%). Commercial Tax Base % is the percentage of a municipality's tax base made up of commercial and industrial property. Population within 45 minutes estimates the population accessible within a 45-minute drive. 5-Yr. Avg. Mill Rate is the municipality's average real-property mill rate for fiscal years 2022 through 2026. 5-Yr. Business Growth measures the change in business registrations from 2021 through 2025 and is provided for context; it is not included in the index score. — indicates a blank source cell. MUNICIPALITY OVERALL SCORE MARKET STRENGTH (70%) JOBS BUSINESS ESTABLISHMENTS TRANSACTION COST & PROCESS (30%) COMM. TAX BASE POPULATION WITHIN 45 MINUTES 5-YEAR AVG. MILL RATE 5-YEAR BUSINESS GROWTH