Compare towns
Ashford vs Killingly vs Mansfield vs Putnam
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ashford has the highest household income ($122k).
Killingly has the most kids (19.8% under 18).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Putnam has the oldest population (median age 43.7).
Mansfield is a college town. 57% of residents are enrolled in college, which pulls its median age, poverty rate and renter figures away from what a year-round family would see.
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Ashford | Killingly | Mansfield | Putnam |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 4,226Lowest |
17,867 |
25,358Highest |
9,292 |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3 8% below CT |
39.5±3 4% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
43.7±3Highest 6% above CT |
| Putnam and Killingly are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5 CT: 20.2% |
19.8%±2.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Killingly and Putnam are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.9%±3.7 CT: 18.5% |
19.7%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.5%±3.1 CT: 18.5% |
| Killingly and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 35.3% CT: 42.5% |
22.9% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
20%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7 CT: 7.1% |
5.4%±1.9 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
3.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $121,926±$23kHighest 27% above CT |
$84,350±$8k 12% below CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$70,561±$7kLowest 26% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,800±$18k 9% below CT |
$288,600±$15k 21% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$269,200±$11kLowest 27% below CT |
| Mansfield and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,246±$208 16% below CT |
$1,044±$141Lowest 30% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,149±$44 23% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982Highest 5% above CT |
$3,922 41% below CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$3,860Lowest 42% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26 CT: 52.6% |
42.8%±10.9 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
37.7%±11.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Ashford are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
11.4% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
11.5% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
71.6% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
59.8% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1968 1 yr newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above CT |
28 min 5% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
25 min 6% below CT |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5 CT: 16% |
11.1%±2.3 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
9%±2.8Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #90 of 149 in CT | #136 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #128 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ashford School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Putnam School District |
| High school in town | None in town | Killingly High School | E. O. Smith High School | Putnam High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.1 |
11.8Highest |
9.5Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
CT average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.