Compare towns
Ashford vs Mansfield vs Willington
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 most kids (18.5% under 18).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Willington has the most affordable homes ($306k median).
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 | Mansfield | Willington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 4,226Lowest |
25,358Highest |
5,575 |
| Median age | 37.9±10.3Highest 8% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
37.5±7.2 9% below CT |
| Ashford and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 18.5%±5.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
12.8%±4.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Ashford and Willington 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% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23.3%±6.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Willington 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% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
33.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
14.6%±6.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $121,926±$23kHighest 27% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$91,114±$12k 5% below CT |
| Ashford and Willington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $334,800±$18k 9% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$305,800±$48kLowest 17% 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±$208Lowest 16% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,357±$116 9% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,982Highest 5% above CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$5,419Lowest 18% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 47%±26Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
70%±20.6 CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Willington 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% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
13% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 76.8%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
64% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT |
1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 34 minHighest 30% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
26 min about the CT average |
| Work from home | 19.3%±5.5 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10.5%±4.7Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #90 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #104 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ashford School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Willington School District |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8 |
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| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.