Home to the oldest public art museum and the oldest continuously published newspaper, Hartford continues to be a beacon for education-minded families.
City: Hartford
State: Connecticut
Best Cities Overall Rank: 50
About Hartford:
The Wadsworth Atheneum is the oldest public art museum in the United States with a collection that extends over 5,000 years.
The Hartford Courant, founded in 1764, is the country’s oldest continuously published newspaper.
Hartford averages a 14.6 pupil to teacher ratio and a total of $20,551 expenditure per student.
County: Hartford
Population: 124,062
Official website for city visitors’ bureau/city: Visitor’s bureau website
Newspaper with the largest circulation: Hartford Courant
Hartford blogs:
Connecticut Mom, The Mommyologist
Hartford‘s Facebook page: Follow Hartford on Facebook
Hartford‘s Twitter page: Follow Hartford on Twitter
Education rank: 12
High School graduation rate 2008: 79.2%
Blue Ribbon Schools, 2003-2009: 3
Blue Ribbon Schools per 100,000 people: 2.42
NEAYC-accredited preschools: 32
NAEYC schools per 100,000 people: 25.79
NAEP State proficiency reading, grade 8: 272
Pupil/Teacher Ratio: 14.6
Total Expenditures Per Student: $20,551
Health rank: 15
Quality children’s hospitals: 1
Hospitals per 100,000 people: 0.81
Quality Pediatricians: 2
Quality Pediatricians per 100,000: 1.62
Average number of Unhealthy Air Quality days between 2006-2008, by county: 2
Safety rank: 93
Violent Crimes, 2008: 1503
Violent Crime Rate per 100,000: 1211.49
Sex Offenders: 574
Sex Offenders per 100,000: 462.67
Economy rank: 44
Travel time to work, 2006-2008, in minutes: 20.19
Percent of labor force unemployed, January 2010: 10
Best Performing Cities Job Index: 712.08
Median Home Sale Price: $129,100
5-Year Home Value Index: -1.33 %
Percent of homes sold for a loss: 20.62%
Recreation Rank: 30
Parkland acreage, 2008 (includes pools and playgrounds): 2300
Parkland per 100,000: 1853.91