What stands out worked out from the figures below

Blackstone has the most kids (21.8% under 18).

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Blackstone	Mansfield
People
Population	9,255Lowest	25,358Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+2% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	43.2±1.7Highest 11% above U.S.	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.8%±4Highest U.S.: 22%	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	18.5%±4.2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	31.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	1.6%±0.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$94,191±$21kHighest 17% above U.S.	$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S.
	Blackstone and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$404,400±$34kHighest 22% above U.S.	$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,189±$85Lowest 16% below U.S.	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,703Lowest 83% above U.S.	$5,727Highest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	65%±18.3Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Mansfield and Blackstone are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	8%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	73.2%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1967Lowest 13 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	34 minHighest 28% above U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	17.4%±4.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#207 of 282 in MA	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Blackstone-Millville	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	Blackstone Millville RHS	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	13.6Highest	11.8Lowest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	None yet	None yet

U.S. 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.