Compare towns
Bristol vs Mansfield vs Southington
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bristol has the most affordable homes ($278k median).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Southington has the highest household income ($124k).
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 | Bristol | Mansfield | Southington |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,462Highest |
25,358Lowest |
43,803 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +0.6% CT: +0.9% |
— | — |
| Median age | 37.9±1.5 8% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
45±1.4Highest 9% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 20.1%±1.7Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±1.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Bristol and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 16.2%±1.2 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
21%±1.6Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 30.3%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
43.4% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.9%±0.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.3%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $79,076±$6k 17% below CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$124,309±$9kHighest 30% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $277,800±$8kLowest 24% below CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$373,800±$10kHighest about the CT average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,338±$45Lowest 10% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,472±$77 about the CT average |
| Mansfield and Southington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,449Lowest 18% below CT |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$6,206Highest 7% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 55.5%±5.9 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
43.9%±8.6Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 10.7% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
4.9%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 64.9% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1967Lowest same as CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1974 7 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 11% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
24 minHighest 9% below CT |
| Work from home | 11.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
17.3%±2.9 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #115 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #51 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Bristol School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Southington School District |
| High school in town | Bristol Central High School | E. O. Smith High School | Southington High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 14.0Highest |
11.8Lowest |
12.8 |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 6 photos → | 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.