Population (2010) 714,820 Cook PVI D+3 | Median income 53,118 Area 3,320 km² | |
 | ||
Current Representative Elizabeth Esty (D–Cheshire) Distribution 85.9% urban
14.1% rural Ethnicity 73.2% White
5.9% Black
3.1% Asian
15.6% Hispanic
0.1% Native American
2.1% other | ||
Connecticut's 5th Congressional District is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in the northwestern part of the state, the district runs from Meriden and New Britain in central Connecticut, westward to Danbury and the surrounding Housatonic Valley. Encompased in between are the Farmington Valley, Naugatuck River Valley, and the Litchfield Hills.
Contents
The district is currently represented by Democrat Elizabeth Esty.
History
Historically Republican, the Fifth Congressional District has been treading Democratic since 2004. John Kerry carried the district with 49.3% of the vote, a margin of 1,112 votes in the 2004 presidential election. Obama carried the district in 2008 with 56.3% of the vote and in 2012 with 53.5% of the vote.
The current 5th Congressional District was created in 2002 due to reapportionment following the 2000 U.S. Census. Due to slow population growth, Connecticut lost a seat and the district was merged with the previous Sixth Congressional District.
From 1964 to 1990 the 5th Congressional District included many towns in Fairfield County which are now located in the 4th Congressional District, such as Wilton, Monroe, Ridgefield, and Shelton. It also included the lower Naugatuck River Valley towns of Ansonia, Derby, Seymour, and Naugatuck which are now in the 3rd Congressional District.
In the early 20th century the 5th Congressional District included Waterbury, Litchfield County, and the Naugatuck Valley. It did not include any portion of Fairfield or Hartford counties and did not include the City of Meriden.
Towns in the district
The district includes the following towns:
Fairfield County - Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, New Fairfield, Newtown, and Sherman.
Hartford County - Avon, Burlington, Canton, Farmington, New Britain, Plainville, and Simsbury.
Litchfield County - Bethlehem, Bridgewater, Canaan, Cornwall, Goshen, Harwinton, Kent, Litchfield, Morris, New Milford, Norfolk, North Canaan, Plymouth, Roxbury, Salisbury, Sharon, Thomaston, Torrington (part), Warren, Washington, Watertown, and Woodbury.
New Haven County - Cheshire, Meriden, Middlebury, Southbury, Waterbury (part), and Wolcott.
Living former Members
As of May 2015, five former members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Connecticut's 5th congressional district are alive. The most recent representative to die was William R. Ratchford (1979-1985) on January 2, 2011.