The strength of the labor force of northeast Connecticut is rooted in a past that cherished hard work, craftsmanship and innovation. Its bright future is ensured by a number of regional educational resources.

The area towns have a number of sites available for industry and commercial enterprise, including large and small vacant parcels, existing facilities, historic mills and fully serviced municipal industrial parks.

Interstate 395 (a north-south, toll-free, limited access highway) runs directly through the region. I-395 connects the Connecticut and Massachusetts Turnpikes. The Providence and Worcester Railroad furnishes daily rail freight services with connections to Conrail in Worcester, Massachusetts; the Central Vermont Railroad in Gardner, Massachusetts; and the Central Vermont Railroad in New London. The state-owned Danielson Airport provides convenient freight and passenger charter service. Airports within close proximity include: Bradley International (70 miles), Boston’s Logan International (80 miles), Groton/New London Airport (35 miles), Windham Aviation Airport (20 miles), and Rhode Island’s T.F. Green Airport (30 miles).

Northeastern Connecticut manufactures a variety of products including: well drilling bits, electronic winches, snack foods, fiberoptics, metal fasteners, chromed waste tubes, plumbing fixtures, circuit boards, electronic devices, labels and labeling equipment, plastic coated cable, plastics, shims, molded rubber products, corrugated paper/boxes, aircraft parts, and textiles. This region’s central location has made it an ideal location for a number of distribution centers.

Although manufacturing occupations make up a large percentage of the jobs in the area, as the population continues to grow, services and retail employment increases.