Milford, city, New Haven County, southwestern Connecticut, on Long Island Sound, near the mouth of the Housatonic River; incorporated as a city 1959. It is an important distribution center; major manufactures include razors, machine tools, writing instruments, and processed foods. Milford Jai Alai is a popular tourist attraction. The community, settled in 1639 as part of New Haven Colony, is named for Milford, England. Oyster and clam fisheries were once important to the city, which was a popular summer resort until the 1920s. The city and town of Milford were consolidated in 1959. Population 49,101 (1980); 49,938 (1990); 50,594 (2000).
