What stands out worked out from the figures below

Bristol has the shortest commute (25 min average).

Mansfield has grown the fastest since 2010 (+2.9%).

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	Bristol	Mansfield
People
Population	22,220Lowest	23,931Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	-2%Lowest U.S.: +7.4%	+2.9%Highest U.S.: +7.4%
Median age	43±2.2Highest 11% above U.S.	41.4±1.3Lowest 6% above U.S.
	Bristol and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18	12.9%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 22%	22.4%±2.4Highest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	22.9%±2Highest U.S.: 17.2%	15.4%±2Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	47.6%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%	51.1%Highest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	18.6%±1.4Highest U.S.: 6.4%	5.5%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$97,764±$8kLowest 21% above U.S.	$125,273±$15kHighest 55% above U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$485,000±$25kLowest 46% above U.S.	$603,500±$28kHighest 81% above U.S.
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,579±$118Lowest 12% above U.S.	$1,803±$147Highest 28% above U.S.
	Mansfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,393Lowest 73% above U.S.	$7,226Highest 132% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	37.9%±8.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	38.2%±8.5Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Mansfield and Bristol are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	6.5%Highest U.S.: 12.5%	4.7%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	66.1%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%	73.1%Highest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1964Lowest 16 yrs older than U.S.	1980Highest same as U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	25 minLowest 6% below U.S.	33 minHighest 25% above U.S.
Work from home	11.2%±2.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1%	20%±3.4Highest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#20 of 38 in RI	#60 of 282 in MA
School district	Bristol Warren	Mansfield
High school in town	Mt. Hope High School	Mansfield High
Students per teacherat that high school	12.5Highest	11.1Lowest
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.