Windham outshines other CT counties in 2019 economic growth

Windham County is not known as the economic engine of Connecticut, but it actually led the state last year in growth, according to new data published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Windham County’s $4.7 billion economy grew 2.6% in 2019, according to newly released BEA data, which broke down the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rates of all U.S. counties.

GDP is the value of goods and services produced within a county.

Windham’s 2.6% growth rate ranked No. 1 in Connecticut, ahead of Litchfield (2.1% growth), Middlesex (1.6% growth) and New Haven (1.5%) counties. 

Hartford’s County’s 2019 GDP growth ranked second-to-last in the state, at just 0.6%. Only Tolland County performed worse, with growth of 0.4%.

Despite its lack of growth, Hartford County has the second-largest economy in the state ($78.2 billion) behind only Fairfield County’s $79.3 billion economy, which grew 0.7% in 2019, BEA data shows.

The average county growth rate in Connecticut last year was 0.9%.

Nationally in 2019 GDP increased in 2,484 counties, decreased in 612 counties, and was unchanged in 17 counties, BEA said.