An original American town, Hartford’s roots trace back to the 1630s when it was just a trading post on the Connecticut River. Centuries later, history still burns bright in Connecticut’s capital city. Stroll through the Pratt Street Historic District to see it for yourself. Now, with a 400th birthday coming up in 2035, Hartford is looking ahead—with ambition. Its Hartford400 vision aims to turn the city’s riverfront into a pedestrian paradise. That is, after all, the Hartford way. This is among the greenest, most walkable cities in America, its pre-car urban grid and abundant parks propelling it to #4 in our Green Space subcategory and #16 for Walkability. A city that’s no stranger to struggle—it nearly filed for bankruptcy in 2017—Hartford has been busy cultivating prosperity. Property values and household incomes have risen, GDP per capita is sky-high(#11), and the “Insurance Capital of the World” remains the epicenter of the sector, home to the likes of Aetna, The Hartford (no surprise there) and the largest office of Travelers. The city will welcome a new $335-million federal courthouse in 2030, and it seems ready to invest in its cultural capital. It opened its first Office of Arts, Culture and Entertainment in 2024.