December 08, 2000, 4:23 PM —
Vital statistics
Population:
State - 3,282,031 (ranks 29th in nation)
Hartford area - 1,143,859
Stamford area - 332,941
Unemployment rate:
State - 2.5% (national - 4.0%)
Hartford - 2.6%
Stamford - 1.5%
Median housing cost(*):
National - $137,800
Hartford - $161,800
Business outlook
Top industries: Financial services, insurance, manufacturing, retail trade
Top employers: General Electric, Aetna, United Technologies, Xerox, Pitney Bowes,
Union Carbide
Economic outlook: Economic growth continues, although the pace of economic
expansion is slowing. The labor market is tight, and good property is in short supply,
leading to an increase in home prices.
Tax situation: Connecticut residents are among the most heavily taxed in the
country. The sales tax rate is 6.0 percent, and the state income tax rate is 4.5
percent. Although there is no state property tax, most counties levy property taxes.
Local talk
"Driven by e-business initiatives that didn't exist before, the job market is
fabulous, with good opportunities and a lot of competition for good people."
-- Nora Siegel, senior recruiter, The Cambridge Group, Westport, Conn.
IT salaries, large companies
Stamford
Vice president, IS - $241,255
IS director - $205,009
Network services - $129,635
Web resources
InConnecticut.com -
Comcast Online's portal includes white pages, entertainment listings, and a weekly
column devoted to digital business.
WebguideConnecticut.com -
target="_new">www.webguideconnecticut.com
The site serves as a search engine, directory, Web guide, and mapping service.
(*) National Assoc. of Realtors provides no data for Stamford.
Source: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU, BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF
REALTORS, FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, RELOCATION CENTRAL, POSITIVE SUPPORT REVIEW SALARY
SURVEY
