Compare towns
Coventry vs Reading vs Mansfield vs Willimantic
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Coventry has the most homeowners (90.7%).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Mansfield has the youngest population (median age 21.2).
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 | Reading | Mansfield | Willimantic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,326Lowest |
25,612Highest |
25,358 |
18,096 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
— | +2.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 45.4±3.8Highest 17% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
31.3±2.7 20% below U.S. |
| Coventry and Reading are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.6%±2.5 U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 20.2%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
20.7%±2.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Reading 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% U.S.: 35.7% |
66.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
24.2%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
19.1%±2.1 U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,213±$5k 34% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12k 10% below U.S. |
$45,962±$7kLowest 43% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,000±$23k about the U.S. average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$190,900±$17kLowest 43% below U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$330 13% below U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,602±$104 13% above U.S. |
$1,063±$68Lowest 25% below U.S. |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,284 69% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$5,727 84% above U.S. |
$4,678Lowest 50% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 62.7%±23.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
27.8%±9.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
55.9%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
| 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% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
23.4%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
34.9%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1960 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1953Lowest 27 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
23 min 12% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3 U.S.: 15.1% |
6.2%±2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Reading and Mansfield 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 | #41 of 149 in CT | #50 of 282 in MA | #45 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Coventry School District | Reading | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | — |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Reading Memorial High | E. O. Smith High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 9.9Lowest |
12.1Highest |
11.8 |
— |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | 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.