Danbury , city (1990 pop. 65,585), Fairfield co., SW Conn.; settled 1685, inc. as a city 1889. Once home to a famous hat industry dating from 1780, this growing, diverse residential city now makes electronic equipment, plastics, machinery, and furniture. A colonial military depot, it was destroyed in Gen. William Tryon's 1777 raid, which led to the death of David Wooster , who is buried here. The noted Danbury Hatters' Case (1902) resulted in a U.S. Supreme Court ruling (1908) prohibiting boycotts by labor unions. In the city are Western Connecticut State Univ. and a federal prison. Several 18th-century houses are included in the Scott-Fanton Museum, and there are sites associated with the composer Charles Ives , a native. Danbury's famous state fair was held for 112 years until 1981; the fairgrounds now house a huge mall. Candlewood Lake lies to the northeast.

Danbury

The City in Brief

Founded: 1685 (incorporated, 1889)

Head Official: Mayor Mark D. Boughton (R) (since 2001)

City Population

1980: 60,470

1990: 65,585

2000: 74,848

2003 estimate: 77,353

Percent change, 1990–2000: 14.1%

U.S. rank in 1980: 324th

U.S. rank in 1990: 355th

U.S. rank in 2000: 406th (State rank: 7th)

Metropolitan Area Population (PMSA)

1980: 175,000

1990: 193,597

2000: 217,980

Percent change, 1990–2000: 12.6%

U.S. rank in 1980: 1st (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 1990: 1st (CMSA)

U.S. rank in 2000: 1st (CMSA)

Area: 44.3 square miles (2000)

Elevation: Ranges from 378 feet to 1,050 feet

Average Annual Temperature: 49.7° F

Average Annual Precipitation: 25.8 inches of rain; 26 inches of snow

Major Economic Sectors: Trade, manufacturing, services

Unemployment Rate: 3.7% (April 2005)

Per Capita Income: $24,500 (1999)

2004 ACCRA Average House Price: Not reported

2004 ACCRA Cost of Living Index: Not reported

2002 FBI Crime Index Total: 2,198

Major Colleges and Universities: Western Connecticut State University

Daily Newspaper: News-Times