Compare towns
Coventry vs Mansfield vs Preston vs Willimantic
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Coventry has the most kids (20.9% under 18).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Preston has the most expensive homes ($362k median).
Willimantic has the most affordable homes ($191k 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 | Coventry | Mansfield | Preston | Willimantic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,326 |
25,358Highest |
4,821Lowest |
18,096 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 45.4±3.8 10% above CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
46.2±7Highest 12% above CT |
31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
| Preston and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.7%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5 CT: 20.2% |
| Coventry and Willimantic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3.3 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
23%±4.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Preston and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 45% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.5% CT: 42.5% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.9%±2.4 CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,213±$5k 13% above CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$116,648±$27kHighest 22% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
| Preston and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,000±$23k 10% below CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$361,900±$13kHighest about the CT average |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
| Preston and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$330 17% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,433±$1k 4% below CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
| Mansfield and Preston are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,284 20% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,749 29% below CT |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±23.8 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
52.6%±12.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 5.1% CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
91.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 1 yr older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the CT average |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
23 min 12% below CT |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.6 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10.3%±6 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #41 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #93 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Coventry School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Preston School District | — |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | E. O. Smith High School | None in town | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
11.8Highest |
— | — |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.