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The Top 10 Places in Connecticut to Find Employment in 2026

Are you on the hunt for a job in Connecticut? You’ve landed in the right place! While many might immediately think of Hartford as a prime job market, recent data reveals that it isn’t the top contender in the state.

At Zippia, we base our insights on comprehensive data analysis to identify the best locales for job seekers. We meticulously examined various areas in Connecticut to unveil the best places to pursue career opportunities.

After evaluating over 46 locations across Connecticut, we’ve compiled this list of the best places to secure a job in the Constitution State:

Stay tuned, Norwich! We’ll break down how we ranked these areas, and you might pick up a few tips from the rest of the state.

Methodology for Ranking the Best Job Markets in Connecticut

Our analysis began with thorough research on employment data across Connecticut. To ensure a fair comparison, we established a minimum population threshold of 5,000 residents.

This criterion allowed us to focus on 46 towns and cities within the state.

We then ranked each location based on several key factors, scoring them from one to 46, with one being the most favorable. By averaging the ranks across all criteria, the location with the lowest overall score earned the title of the “Best Place for Jobs in Connecticut.”

The criteria assessed included:

Unemployment Rate
Recent Job Growth
Projected Job Growth
Median Household Income

Data sources for our analysis include the BLS and Sperling’s Best Places.

If your town doesn’t make the top 10, don’t worry! Scroll down for a detailed chart and download options for all the data.

Now, let’s explore how these cities climbed the career ladder.

1. Weston

Population: 10,203 Unemployment Rate: 3.90%
Recent Job Growth: 1.74%
Future Job Growth: 39.60%

2. Wilton

Population: 18,201 Unemployment Rate: 4.10%
Recent Job Growth: 1.74%
Future Job Growth: 39.40%

3. Fairfield

Population: 59,562 Unemployment Rate: 5.00%
Recent Job Growth: 1.74%
Future Job Growth: 38.50%

4. Oxford

Population: 12,602 Unemployment Rate: 5.20%
Recent Job Growth: 1.73%
Future Job Growth: 38.30%

5. Madison

Population: 18,264 Unemployment Rate: 4.60%
Recent Job Growth: 1.22%
Future Job Growth: 37.80%

6. Stamford

Population: 122,878 Unemployment Rate: 5.50%
Recent Job Growth: 1.74%
Future Job Growth: 38.00%

7. Avon

Population: 18,049 Unemployment Rate: 4.10%
Recent Job Growth: 0.79%
Future Job Growth: 37.50%

8. Norwalk

Population: 85,853 Unemployment Rate: 5.80%
Recent Job Growth: 1.74%
Future Job Growth: 37.70%

9. Woodbury

Population: 9,925 Unemployment Rate: 4.90%
Recent Job Growth: 1.09%
Future Job Growth: 37.30%

10. Shelton

Source: Wikipedia

Population: 39,641 Unemployment Rate: 6.00%
Recent Job Growth: 1.74%
Future Job Growth: 37.50%

Comprehensive List of Top Job Markets in Connecticut

City	Rank	Population	Unemployment Rate	Recent Job Growth	Future Job Growth
Weston	1	10,203	3.90%	1.74%	39.60%
Wilton	2	18,201	4.10%	1.74%	39.40%
Fairfield	3	59,562	5.00%	1.74%	38.50%
Oxford	4	12,602	5.20%	1.73%	38.30%
Madison	5	18,264	4.60%	1.22%	37.80%
Stamford	6	122,878	5.50%	1.74%	38.00%
Avon	7	18,049	4.10%	0.79%	37.50%
Norwalk	8	85,853	5.80%	1.74%	37.70%
Woodbury	9	9,925	4.90%	1.09%	37.30%
Shelton	10	39,641	6.00%	1.74%	37.50%
Monroe	11	19,529	6.10%	1.74%	37.40%
Branford	12	28,062	5.70%	1.22%	36.70%
Mansfield	13	26,182	5.10%	0.79%	36.50%
Seymour	14	16,487	7.00%	1.75%	36.50%
Ellington	15	15,549	5.00%	0.78%	36.60%
Hamden	16	60,735	6.10%	1.23%	36.40%
Farmington	17	25,329	5.30%	0.79%	36.30%
Wallingford	18	45,047	6.20%	1.22%	36.20%
Canton	19	10,243	5.40%	0.79%	36.20%
Derby	20	12,858	7.50%	1.75%	36.00%
Enfield	21	44,699	6.00%	1.01%	36.00%
Berlin	22	19,974	5.60%	0.79%	36.00%
Cromwell	23	14,059	5.90%	0.79%	35.70%
Brookfield	24	16,487	5.10%	0.29%	35.50%
Ansonia	25	19,188	8.10%	1.74%	35.40%
Plainville	26	17,726	6.50%	0.80%	35.10%
Milford	27	52,826	7.30%	1.16%	35.00%
Danbury	28	81,057	5.40%	0.29%	35.20%
Winchester	29	11,189	7.30%	1.08%	34.90%
Vernon	30	29,188	6.40%	0.79%	35.20%
Middletown	31	47,530	6.60%	0.79%	35.00%
Meriden	32	60,674	8.30%	1.22%	34.10%
Stafford	33	12,058	7.20%	0.79%	34.40%
Bridgeport	34	144,446	10.20%	1.74%	33.30%
Bristol	35	60,502	7.20%	0.79%	34.40%
Wolcott	36	16,638	6.60%	0.43%	34.30%
Plainfield	37	15,358	8.60%	1.02%	33.40%
Plymouth	38	12,193	8.20%	0.80%	33.40%
Ledyard	39	15,046	5.70%	-1.27%	31.80%
Bloomfield	40	20,470	7.70%	0.79%	33.90%
Torrington	41	36,239	7.50%	0.41%	33.30%
Naugatuck	42	31,795	8.10%	0.41%	32.70%
Griswold	43	11,907	7.70%	-1.26%	29.80%
Hartford	44	124,879	12.40%	0.79%	29.20%
Waterbury	45	110,074	11.30%	0.41%	29.50%
Norwich	46	40,322	8.00%	-1.27%	29.50%

In conclusion, these cities represent the finest opportunities for job seekers in Connecticut today. Whether you’re seeking remote work, hybrid options, or traditional employment, these locations offer promising career prospects in the evolving labor market.

Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.