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2026 BEST PLACES FOR BUSINESS | HBJ HARTFORDBUSINESS.COM | 27 XXXXXX XXXX COMPLETE MUNICIPAL R ANKINGS Andover – Colebrook ANDOVER 22.2 16.4 35.8 637 234 3% 1,111,745 32.43 0% ANSONIA 51.2 54.1 44.3 4,437 1,222 8% 1,859,449 31.38 +6.4% ASHFORD 20.5 13.3 37.5 618 273 4% 601,043 34.49 +30.4% AVON 61.2 64.5 53.4 11,538 2,400 12% 1,474,921 32.92 +16.3% BARKHAMSTED 28.1 17.9 51.9 647 233 6% 1,049,996 28.63 -6.8% BEACON FALLS 41.3 38.4 48.2 1,330 458 8% 1,942,515 30.61 +62.3% BERLIN 69.2 77.5 49.8 11,695 2,302 17% 2,106,642 31.73 +23.3% BETHANY 38.3 39.7 35 2,219 725 7% 1,724,960 33.17 +20% BETHEL 60.9 62.3 57.8 8,423 2,303 11% 1,353,949 31.37 +10.4% BETHLEHEM 31.6 27.4 41.5 1,069 455 9% 720,934 25.37 +44.7% BLOOMFIELD 73.1 84.7 45.9 21,376 2,500 35% 1,541,395 36 -12.2% BOLTON 29.6 31.6 24.9 1,190 423 6% 1,302,227 37.66 +77% BOZRAH 35.4 33 41 1,651 217 13% 883,390 24.55 -14.9% BRANFORD 78.1 79.8 74.2 17,003 3,941 17% 1,262,357 28.13 +18.3% BRIDGEPORT 71 87.1 33.5 43,635 12,707 18% 1,812,745 43.45 -4.3% BRIDGEWATER 24.6 12.4 53.2 317 224 1% 697,157 17.90 -8.2% BRISTOL 69.1 75 55.3 23,417 4,047 16% 1,536,357 34.53 +18.8% BROOKFIELD 68 65 75 7,094 2,125 14% 1,169,733 27.93 +5.1% BROOKLYN 31.5 22.8 51.9 861 420 9% 592,411 27.06 +30.4% BURLINGTON 33.9 23.9 57.2 1,777 781 2% 1,206,996 30.16 +18.4% CANAAN 21.9 11 47.2 345 141 6% 121,831 23.37 -7.1% CANTERBURY 25.8 17.5 45 807 319 5% 608,181 21.9 +56.9% CANTON 56.2 57.9 52.1 5,446 1,081 16% 1,344,178 33.99 +9.4% CHAPLIN 17 11.8 29.3 363 142 6% 507,310 32.77 +41.9% CHESHIRE 69.9 75.6 56.4 13,778 3,040 19% 2,106,649 32.07 +12.2% CHESTER 45.9 43.9 50.4 2,081 411 18% 1,096,402 28.05 +21.6% CLINTON 60 57.8 65.3 5,104 1,313 12% 953,206 30.18 +23.8% COLCHESTER 51.8 48.4 59.8 5,215 1,241 8% 1,107,642 30.5 +22.6% COLEBROOK 17.8 11.1 33.3 412 117 6% 378,826 32.41 0% 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