Connecticut

New London

268,555
2020 population
1790
first census record
24
census records

About New London

New London, Connecticut, first appears in the United States federal census in 1790, when it recorded a population of 33,200. At the most recent census, in 2020, its population stood at 268,555.

Its recorded population peaked at 274,055 in 2010, and has since declined by roughly 2 percent.

On the ground today, 36 documented military engagements have been recorded within the county, among them Mohegan-Pequot Ancestral Conflicts, Pequot War – Battle at Weinshauks June 5 1637, Mystic Massacre (Pequot Fort), and 208 places are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Population by decade

Census YearPopulationChart
2020268,555
2010274,055
2000259,088
1990254,957
1980238,409
1970230,348
1960185,745
1950144,821
1940125,224
1930118,966
1920104,611
191091,253
190082,758
189076,634
188073,152
187066,570
186061,731
185051,821
184044,463
183042,201
182035,943
181034,707
180034,883
179033,200
Source

Population data from the United States decennial census, U.S. Census Bureau (public domain).

Battles & engagements in New London

Military engagements that took place in New London, Connecticut.

Mohegan-Pequot Ancestral Conflicts
1400
Pequot War – Battle at Weinshauks June 5 1637
1637
Mystic Massacre (Pequot Fort)
1637
Mystic Massacre / Fort Mystic
1637
Mystic Massacre
1637
Battle of Mystic 1637 (Pequot War)
1637
Mystic Fort Massacre (Pequot War)
1637
Mystic Fort Massacre
1637
Mystic Massacre – Outer Assault Phase May 26 1637
1637
Pequot War - Battle of Weinshauks 1637
1637
Battle of Weinshauks (Pequot War)
1637
Pequot War - Battle of Mystic Fort 1637
1637
Mystic Massacre (Pequot War)
1637
Mohegan-Pequot Relations and Uncas 1643
1643
Burning of Groton MA 1676
1676
Action at Stonington (1775)
1775
Bombardment of Stonington
1775
Naval Action off New London (Captain Saltonstall)
1776
Assault on Fort Griswold
1781
Battle of Fort Griswold (Groton Heights)
1781
Battle of Groton Heights / Fort Griswold Sep 6 1781
1781
Battle of Groton Heights (Fort Griswold)
1781
Battle of Groton Heights
1781
Battle of Fort Griswold — Groton Massacre
1781
Battle of New London Raid
1781
Battle of Groton Heights (Connecticut)
1781
Fort Griswold Massacre September 6 1781
1781
Battle of New London and Fort Griswold Massacre
1781
Burning of New London 1781
1781
Battle of Groton Heights Naval Sep 6 1781
1781
Storming of Fort Griswold (Benedict Arnold)
1781
Burning of New London and Fort Griswold
1781
Burning of New London Sep 6 1781
1781
Bombardment of Stonington CT
1814
Battle of Stonington Connecticut 1814
1814
Bombardment of Stonington, Connecticut
1814

Historic places in New London

National Register of Historic Places listings in New London, Connecticut.

SABINO (steamer)
Mystic
Hallville Mill Historic District
Preston
Backus, Nathaniel, House
Norwich
Anshei Israel Synagogue
Lisbon
Palmer, Luther, House
North Stonington
Uncasville School
Montville
Little Plain Historic District (Boundary Increase)
Norwich
Wilson, John, House
Jewett
Downtown New London Historic District
New London
Bozrah Congregational Church and Parsonage
Bozrah
Bill, Gurdon, Store
Ledyard
Hempstead, Joshua, House
New London
Prospect Street Historic District
New London
Norwich Town Hall
Norwich
War Office
Lebanon
US Post Office-New London Main
New London
Lighthouse Inn
New London
Commonwealth Works Site
Norwich
Cooper Site
Lyme
The Seaside
Waterford
Mechanic Street Historic District
Stonington
Long Society Meetinghouse
Norwich
Lyman Viaduct
Colchester
Carpenter, Joseph, Silversmith Shop
Norwichtown
Browse all Connecticuthistoric sites ›

Other counties in Connecticut

Explore census history and historic records for more Connecticut counties.

WindhamFairfieldHartfordLitchfieldMiddlesexNew HavenTolland
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Everything a full report reveals about New London County, Connecticut

This page charts the census history of New London County, Connecticut. A full Aubrey report for an address here pulls together everything the historical record holds about the ground, from the earliest settlement to the twentieth century:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
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Frequently asked about New London

When does New London first appear in the US census?
New London, Connecticut first appears in the federal census in 1790, with a recorded population of 33,200.
What is the population of New London?
At the most recent federal census (2020), New London had a recorded population of 268,555.
When did New London's population peak?
New London's recorded population peaked at 274,055 in 2010.
Were any battles fought in New London?
36 documented military engagements took place in New London, including Mohegan-Pequot Ancestral Conflicts, Pequot War – Battle at Weinshauks June 5 1637, Mystic Massacre (Pequot Fort).
How many historic places are in New London?
208 sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places in New London, Connecticut.
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