Connecticut Coverage Area

With six warehousing and service centers throughout Connecticut, ArcBest^® has the ability to provide service to any location in the state. To learn more about our coverage area and our portfolio of services, call 800-610-5544.

Facts about Connecticut

• Population — 3,590,886 as of 2015
• Poverty rate — 15 percent
• Unemployment rate — 6.3 percent as of April 2015
• Sales tax rate — 6.35 percent
• Income tax rate — 6.5 percent
   

Business Opportunities in the Constitution State

The state of Connecticut is a central access point to the most populated area in the country. It’s a small but densely populated state with a healthy economy, and it is one of the wealthiest states in the country. It’s known for being home to several companies in the insurance, finance and real estate markets, but industries like manufacturing and agriculture also act as key economic drivers for the state.

Connecticut provides a business-friendly environment that encourages growth and prosperity. The state’s close proximity to New York City and Boston offers businesses the ability to easily and quickly ship to locations within the United States as well as international locations in Canada, Mexico and the European and Asian markets. The state’s solid infrastructure provides global and domestic freight travel options by air, rail, water and highway, making Connecticut a prime location in which to conduct business.

Economic Factors

The financial planning and insurance sectors are Connecticut’s strongest and highest paying industries, accounting for nearly one-fifth of the state’s economic output. More than 106 insurance and financial management companies are based in Connecticut, and the industries provide nearly 200,000 jobs.

Connecticut is also a leader in industrial manufacturing, which provides jobs in technical fields such as welding, metalworking, electronics and plastics. The state’s manufacturing industries develop products primarily for military use and include commodities such as textiles, guns and ammunition, and transportation equipment such as helicopters, aircraft and submarine parts.

Agriculture accounts for a small portion of Connecticut’s income, but is still an important industry to the state. Dairy products, poultry, forest and nursery plants, tobacco, vegetables and fruit are the state’s most important crops. Other economic elements include timber and logging, farming products and the production of crushed stone — the state’s leading mining product.

Smaller portions of the economy come from the digital media industry, including jobs in video production and software design, and large consumer retail outlets like department stores, supermarkets and restaurants.

Transportation Choices

Connecticut is at the center of the most urbanized area of the United States. The Northeast megalopolis, also known as the BosWash region, is home to more than 55 million people, and those who do business in the region have a variety of transportation options. Road and rail are the standard methods of transportation in Connecticut, but other methods such as air and river ferry are also available.

The state has four major interstate highways and 3,719 miles of state highways that connect communities in Connecticut to surrounding states. Connecticut has nine Class I railways and a number of commuter rail tracks, and one international airport. There are three deep water seaports — located in New London, New Haven and Bridgeport. Together, the three ports can handle up to 19 million tons of freight travel a year.