The city has been designated as one of the poorest in the United States for many years. However, the reasons for Hartford's economic decline are more complex than just its poverty. Hartford was once a manufacturing powerhouse. However, over the years the city's industry has declined, leaving many residents unemployed.

It is the location of the Mark Twain House, in which the author Mark Twain wrote his most famous works and raised his family. He wrote in 1868, "Of all the beautiful towns it has been my fortune to see this is the chief." Hartford has been the sole capital of Connecticut since 1875.

Hartford County is a county located in the north central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. According to the 2020 census, the population was 899,498, making it the second-most populous county in Connecticut.

First settled in 1636 by Thomas Hooker, John Haynes, and a group of 100 followers from the Massachusetts Bay Colony, it is one of the oldest towns in the state. Over time, Hartford grew to be one of the most prosperous cities in the nation, and by the late-19th century, was the wealthiest city in the country.