CONNECTICUT 1 : Central - Hartford

Situated 100 miles southwest of Boston and 110 miles from New York, the 1st is an attractive commercial center for businesses straddling the northeast corridor. Insurance companies, banks and state government are the lifeblood of Hartford and its well-off suburbs.

The 1st is rebounding from the 1980s stock market gyrations, sagging real estate prices and dwindling defense contracts. Hartford saw a renewal in the 1990s, cleaning up its downtown with a waterfront revitalization program.

Like most of the state, the 1st is solidly liberal, with Democrats outnumbering Republicans 2-to-1. But the 1st has seen a rise in the number of unaffiliated voters, which can be traced to the economic problems of the 1980s and the long-term decline of its traditional, blue-collar voting bloc. Voters hold onto socially liberal views from the past but have become dissatisfied with some Democrats and are willing to vote for socially moderate candidates of either party. Although Clinton won majorities in 1992 and '96, the 1st is no longer considered certain for Democrats.

Major Industry
Insurance, banking, defense

Population
547,979 (1990)

Cities
Hartford, 133,086 (1996); East Hartford, 50,452; West Hartford, 60,110 (1994)

People
87% urban; 14% 65+ (ranks second of six in state; top third nationally); 51% married couples, 22% married couples with children; 27% college educated (ranks second of six in state; top third nationally); 67% white collar (ranks second of six in state; top third nationally), 20% blue collar (ranks fifth of six in state, bottom third nationally) (1990)

Race
78% white, 14% black, 2% Asian; 10% Hispanic origin (1990)

Median Household Income
$39,961 (ranks fourth of six in state; top third nationally) (1990)

Unusual Features
Hartford Courant (founded 1764), nation's oldest newspaper in continuous circulation.

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