By the Numbers: East Haven's Business Landscape

There has been much discussion lately throughout the community about the need for more aggressive economic development here in East Haven.

East Haven Patch readers have, of course, weighed in as well — as to the best way for the town to move forward in attracting quality new companies and businesses.

But, what is the current snapshot of East Haven's business landscape? What are the town's leading industries? And what are the company categories that make them up?

These questions can be answered by taking a look the U.S. Census Bureau's "Zip Code Business Patterns" data, which is gathered from the department's 2010 survey.

Overview: Leading Industries

According to the bureau's 2010 snapshot, East Haven has a total of 458 registered businesses, which at that time employed some 6,174 people.

Of those companies, the top five general categories — with two industries tied for 5th place — are:

• Retail trade - 72
• Construction - 58
• Other services (except public administration) - 49
• Health care and social assistance - 44
• Accommodation and food services -38
• Wholesale trade - 38

And among those top five, the single leading individual business sector in East Haven is full service restaurants, with a total of 18 establishments.

Retail Trade

Retail trade is made up of a wide variety of businesses. And none of the sectors in town combine for a total of 10 or more.

But within the group, here are East Haven's top five (two tied for 5th):

• Supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores - 8
• Used car dealers - 7
• Beer, wine, and liquor stores - 6
• Heating oil dealers - 6
• Gasoline stations with convenience stores - 5
• Pharmacies and drug stores - 5

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Construction

The vast majority of these businesses in town are smaller, private contractors that employ less than 10 people.

And the top five sectors in this category are:

• Plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning contractors - 13
• Electrical contractors and other wiring installation contractors - 12
• Painting and wall covering contractors - 7
• Residential remodelers - 6
• All other specialty trade contractors - 3

Other Services

Within this category, which also has a wide variety of business types within it, the top five sectors are:

• General automotive repair - 13
• Beauty salons - 7
• Religious organizations - 6
• Automotive body, paint, and interior repair and maintenance - 5
• Civic and social organizations - 3

Health Care/Social Assistance

This industry category's top five businesses in East Haven, once again with two tied for 5th place, are:

• Offices of dentists - 11
• Homes for the elderly - 5
• Offices of physicians (except mental health specialists) - 5
• Residential mental retardation facilities - 4
• Child day care services - 3
• Offices of chiropractors - 3

Accommodation/Food Services

This industry is primarily made up of restaurants, which represent the largest total number within a single business category in town.

The top five, with two tied for 5th place, are:

• Full-service restaurants - 18
• Limited-service restaurants -9
• Snack and nonalcoholic beverage bars - 7
• Caterers - 2
• Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) - 1
• Hotels (except casino hotels) and motels - 1

Wholesale Trade

This category is made up of more than 20 individual types of business, with none in East Haven having a total greater than five.

The top five in wholesale trade company sectors in town are:

• Petroleum bulk stations and terminals - 5
• Wholesale trade agents and brokers - 4
• Industrial machinery and equipment merchant wholesalers - 3
• Brick, stone, and related construction material merchant wholesalers - 3

And there were numerous tied for fifth with two businesses in the section, including: tire and tube merchant wholesalers, roofing, siding, and insulation material merchant wholesalers; other electronic parts and equipment merchant wholesalers; hardware merchant wholesalers; women's and children's clothing merchant wholesalers; and other grocery and related products merchant wholesalers.