Enfield Democrats Surge in Fundraising as GOP Treads Water

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  A recent protest in Enfield, part of the nationwide "Good Trouble Lives On," in honor this month of the late Congressman John Lewis. More than 1,600 rallies were held nationwide.  The local Democrats are off to a good start in fundraising for this year’s local election. In the second quarter of this year, the Enfield Democratic Town Committee raised $13,911 from April through June— outpacing Republicans nearly 9-to-1 , according to state campaign finance filings. The Enfield Republican Town Committee raised just $1,583 during the same period. Democrats began the quarter with a negative balance of –$1,294, but raised enough to erase their debts and finish with $7,092 in the bank. Republicans hold the cash advantage Despite the strong Democratic quarter, Republicans still hold a cash-on-hand advantage, thanks to a $12,911 reserve they carried into the quarter. They ended the period with $14,300 in the bank. But when it comes to momentum and new donor activity, Democrats clear...
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Fewer kids, fewer costumes: What declining school enrollment means for trick-or-treating



Enfield has experienced a significant and ongoing decline in public school enrollment over an 18 year period. When compared to four nearby towns of similar population size, Enfield and Middletown show the steepest declines.

Many factors may be contributing to this trend. These include smaller family sizes, lower fertility rates, job market, cost of living including housing costs, an aging population across the state, and an increase in families choosing alternative education options, such as homeschooling.

The data is available at EdSight. The enrollment data only covers the last 18 years.

Update: After reading some of the insightful Facebook comments, more data is needed to show how population changes are contributing to the school population decline. The comments about an increase in homeschooling were thought-provoking. I wish there was a way to quantify that shift; I suspect the school district may have some estimates.

Enfield has experienced an approximate 8.76% decline in population from 1970 to 2020.

1970: 46,189

1980: 42,695*

1990: 45,532

2000: 44,212

2010: 44,654

2020: 42,141


Enfield's Plan of Conservation and Development (2022–2032) reports a substantial decline in Enfield's young population, specifically those under 18 years old. Between 2010 and 2020, Enfield saw a 14% decrease in this age group, dropping from 8,787 to 7,559. This contraction in younger residents reflects a broader trend of population aging within the town.


*The sharp decline in population from 1970 to 1980 was likely driven by the exodus of Baby Boomers leaving town to start their own lives. During this time, family sizes were also shrinking, which compounded the impact on the local population
Location: Enfield, CT 06082, USA