Connecticut was the 5th state to join the union on January 9, 1788. It was one of the original 13 colonies. Hartford is the state capital. With a total of 5,567 square miles of land and water, it is the 3rd smallest state. Connecticut is bordered by the states of Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island.
According to the US Census Bureau, the estimated population of Connecticut is 3,617,176 (July 2023 est.), and it ranks as the 29th most populous state.
Official Connecticut State Facts and Symbols
Every state has their own unique symbols, from birds to flowers to songs and more! Here are some of Connecticut’s official state symbols:
- Nickname: The Constitution State
- State Bird: American Robin
- State Flower: Mountain Laurel
- State Tree: White Oak
- State Mammal: Sperm Whale
- State Song: Yankee Doodle
- State Motto: “Qui transtulit sustinet” (He who transplanted still sustains)
Find more information about Connecticut’s state symbols/facts here.
Fun Facts about Connecticut
There are many interesting facts about Connecticut. Here are just a few from The Fact Site:
– The name Connecticut means “long tidal river”.
– The first form of a written constitution was created in Connecticut in 1639. It was called The Fundamental Orders.
– The first nuclear-powered submarine was built in Connecticut.
– Mark Twain wrote many of his novels in Connecticut.
Some of the many famous people from Connecticut include actresses Katharine Hepburn, Glenn Close and Meg Ryan, singers Michael Bolton, John Mayer and Karen Carpenter, and actors Paul Giamatti and Dylan McDermott.
NCP Panel Members in Connecticut
Let’s learn about your fellow panel members in Connecticut! Here’s how our Connecticut panel members answered some of our state highlight survey questions.
How long have you been a panel member?
- 31% of survey respondents have been members for 15 or more years
- 13% have been members for less than a year
- 46% of respondents were born in Connecticut and have lived there their entire life
Is the area you live rural, suburban, or urban?
- 18% live in rural areas
- 71% live in suburban areas
- 11% live in urban areas
Do you have children?
- 69% of respondents have children
- Of those, 24% have children living in their home
Shopping Habits of NCP Panel Members in Connecticut
Do you think peoples’ shopping habits differ based on where they live? We were curious about this, so we asked our panel members questions about how, when, and where they shop, along with some other questions about their shopping habits.
Here’s what our panel members in Connecticut had to say about their shopping habits:
- When asked how they do most of their shopping, 61% of respondents said they do a combo of online and in-store shopping. 37% said they shop in-store only and 2% said they shop online only.
- 58% of respondents tend to shop at the same stores vs. 42% who said they shop at a variety of stores.
- 70% of respondents said they mostly stick to their list when shopping, but sometimes make impulse purchases.
- 69% of respondents said they shop alone, with another 22% shopping with a spouse or partner.
When it comes to choosing where to shop, 69% of the Connecticut panel members who responded primarily shop at grocery stores and 15% at mass-merchandise retailers. Price, convenience, and location are the top factors that influence where they decide to shop. Most of our Connecticut panel members said they shop 2-3 times per week and do most of their shopping on Tuesdays or Thursdays.
About 91% of survey respondents look for ways to save money while shopping, with digital coupons and store loyalty programs being the most popular options. They also shop at multiple stores, use the store sales flyer to plan their list, subscribe to store emails, and clip paper coupons.
Convenience while shopping
While ordering groceries and other items online has long been an option, the COVID-19 pandemic made delivery and pick-up a lot more common for people.
Here’s what Connecticut panel members had to say about different aspects of shopping:
- 73% never order groceries online to pick up at the store, while 22% sometimes do.
- 62% never order groceries online to be delivered, while 28% sometimes do.
When asked if weather influenced their choice between online and in-person shopping, 32% of respondents said weather doesn’t impact their decision, with 38% saying they prefer in-person shopping regardless of the weather.
When asked about self-checkout, 22% of respondents said they always use self-checkout, 40% indicated they frequently use it. 23% of respondents said they rarely use it, and 15% said they never use it.
Interests of NCP panel members in Connecticut
When asked about outdoor activities, the most popular ones were hiking/walking, swimming and cycling. Of the other interests panel members wrote in, the most popular were gardening and camping.
When asked which sports or events they follow, the top three were football, baseball, and basketball.
We also asked what type of place or tourist attraction would they recommend to people visiting their state/hometown. The most popular responses were restaurants/culinary places and local markets, beaches and costal areas, historical and cultural museums, and natural parks and reserves. Of the other interests panel members wrote in, the most popular were the aquarium/seaport and casinos.
When asked what specific place or tourist attraction they would recommend in their state/hometown, here are some of their top suggestions:
- Mystic Seaport/Mystic Aquarium
- Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods Casinos
- Yale University
- Kent Falls
- Fort Trumbull State Park
- Submarine Museum in Groton
We hope you learned something new about Connecticut! How do your shopping habits compare to panel members in Connecticut?
Stay tuned for the next state spotlight on…Delaware.
Join NCP!
If you’re not a NCP panel member and you’re interested in joining NCP to share your shopping experiences, earn great rewards, and influence what you see on store shelves, click here or go to the Join NCP section of the blog for more information.
Regards,
Taylor
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I love reading about the different states especially what they have to offer. You never know when you may vacation or even pass through a state and now you may have something to do or you may want to put that state on your bucket list to visit.