What stands out worked out from the figures below

Canton has the most kids (22.6% under 18).

Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).

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	Canton	Mansfield
People
Population	10,144Lowest	25,358Highest
Median age	45.3±5.2Highest 10% above CT	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT
Kids under 18	22.6%±4Highest CT: 20.2%	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	23.5%±4.2Highest CT: 18.5%	11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.2%Lowest CT: 42.5%	57.9%Highest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	2.9%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1%	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$117,991±$20kHighest 23% above CT	$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$395,300±$24kHighest 8% above CT	$335,400±$20kLowest 9% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,403±$358Lowest 6% below CT	$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT
	Mansfield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$7,232Highest 9% above CT	$5,727Lowest 14% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	59.9%±28.9Lowest CT: 52.6%	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%
	Mansfield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	5.7%Lowest CT: 10%	21.6%Highest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	83.7%Highest CT: 66.5%	57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976 9 yrs newer than CT	1976 9 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	29 minHighest 9% above CT	21 minLowest 22% below CT
Work from home	24.8%±6.1Lowest CT: 16%	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%
	Mansfield and Canton are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#22 of 149 in CT	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Canton School District	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	Canton High School	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	9.6Lowest	11.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.