Compare towns
Bethany vs Mansfield vs Willimantic vs Woodbridge
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bethany has the most homeowners (97.2%).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k median).
Woodbridge has the most expensive homes ($588k 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 | Bethany | Mansfield | Willimantic | Woodbridge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 5,288Lowest |
25,358Highest |
18,096 |
9,073 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
— |
| Median age | 42.5±2.9 3% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
48.7±2.3Highest 18% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.3%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
24.7%±4.3Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Woodbridge and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.2%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23.5%±3.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Woodbridge and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 58% CT: 42.5% |
57.9% CT: 42.5% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
71.7%Highest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
2.6%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $166,236±$20k 74% above CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
$188,750±$34kHighest 97% above CT |
| Woodbridge and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $418,000±$42k 14% above CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
$588,100±$40kHighest 60% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | — | $1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
$1,808±$110Highest 22% above CT |
| Woodbridge and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $8,313 25% above CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
$10,000+Highest at least 51% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
71.1%±23.9 CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Woodbridge are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 2.3% CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
2.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
1967 same as CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 32 minHighest 21% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
23 min 12% below CT |
25 min 7% below CT |
| Work from home | 12%±5.2 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
17.2%±5.5 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #30 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | — | #16 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | — | Regional School District 05 · Woodbridge School District |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | — | Amity Regional High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
— | 11.1Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | 6 photos → |
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.