Population bump felt throughout Westport
WESTPORT — Both the most recent U.S. Census and a report of the U.S. Postal Service show that Westport’s population has been growing for years. But what impact have those new people had on the town itself?
Some town officials said the bump seems to have had an effect on school enrollments, home sales and foot traffic at area businesses.
“We are thrilled with all the new residents in town,” said Second Selectwoman Jen Tooker. “They are shopping in our stores, dining in our restaurants and enjoying Westport’s amenities. We are excited of the new energy in town.”
But others, including Westport’s first selectman, said it’s still not fully clear what the numbers mean.
According to the latest U.S. Census, Westport’s overall population went from 26,391 in 2010 to 27,141 in 2020 — a population growth of about 2.8 percent. Additionally, Westport had one of the highest numbers of new residents in 2020 according to a CBRE analysis of change-of-address notifications Connecticut and New York filed with
the U.S. Postal Service. CBRE is a Dallas-based commercial real estate services and investment firm.
In 2020, Westport had 2,731 incoming changes-ofaddress offsetting 2,059 outgoing as reported to the U.S. Postal Service, for a net gain of 672 households.
First Selectman Jim Marpe said, to his knowledge, many of the new arrivals
in 2020 were young people who had left Westport, then moved back home during the COVID-19 pandemic to live with their parents.
“We saw that many stayed long enough to change their address back to their parents’ address,” he said. “Whether they all remain for the long term is hard to know, but some will no doubt find that living in Westport is attractive even to a young millennial who was focused on living in an urban environment.”
Some other numbers indicate that the town’s growth might be more than a matter of people returning to the nest. According to the Town Clerk’s office, home sales have gone from 471 in fiscal year 2019, to 516 in fiscal year 2020 and to 952 in fiscal year 2021.
The town’s schools also saw a higher than projected enrollment this year. The projected enrollment for the 2021-22 school year was 5,190, but the actual enrollment is 5,274, according to John Bayers, Westport Public Schools assistant superintendent for human resources and general administration.
Though the increase isn’t huge, it might have some impact on staffing, as only a certain number of students are allowed in each section of a grade, said Superintendent Thomas Scarice. For instance, a section might be only a few students away from reaching its limit, so even a small increase in enrollment could lead to an extra section.
Bayers confirmed that five class sections have been added at the elementary school level due to the bump in enrollment, but it’s still unclear what impact this will have on the district’s number of full-time employees, which was projected to be about 928 for the school year. Bayers said, right now, the number “is still fluid.”
In general, Scarice said, the recent increase shouldn’t have a huge impact on the schools. For a while, he said, enrollment in the district had been declining. “This (increase) kind of flattens that out,” he said.
On a more somber note, there has also been an increased demand for social services in Westport, said Elaine Daignault, the town’s director of human services.
The department “has noted an increase in requests for assistance, but not necessarily from new residents,” Daignault said. “We are receiving more calls from seniors and families looking to downsize their homes and stay in town. Several are having trouble paying rent or mortgages and are looking for more affordable housing options.”
One area where the growing population is having a positive impact is on local businesses, particularly in the downtown area. Randy Herbertson, president of the Westport Downtown Association, said the residents were “early and eager patrons” of local businesses, even during periods of high COVID-19 activity.
“This energy definitely influenced and expanded to our existing resident base this year, resulting in an even more vibrant and busy district,” he said. “We believe that many of these formally urban residents were just used to seeking out a central business district, and less concerned about parking right in front of a merchant as well. Most large cities do require a bit of walking.”
Matthew Mandell, executive director and president of the Westport-Weston Chamber of Commerce, echoed those sentiments somewhat. “The changeover in population brings new vibrancy and curiosity which is good for business and the town as a whole,” Mandell said.
However, he was concerned about the potential impact the population increase could have on traffic and, hence, access to local businesses. “More people brings more business, but not if the people can’t get to those businesses,” he said. “There is a fine line we will be walking and something we need to keep an eye on.”
One area where the growing population is having a positive impact is on local businesses, particularly in the downtown area. Randy Herbertson, president of the Westport Downtown Association, said the residents were “early and eager patrons” of local businesses, even during periods of high COVID-19 activity.