Compare towns
Coventry vs Reading vs Prospect vs Mansfield
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 affordable homes ($330k median).
Reading has the most expensive homes ($809k median).
Prospect has the most homeowners (93.5%).
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.
| Measure | Coventry | Reading | Prospect | Mansfield |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 12,326 |
25,612Highest |
9,458Lowest |
25,358 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | +3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — |
| Median age | 45.4±3.8 17% above U.S. |
43.7±2.3 12% above U.S. |
46.8±3.9Highest 20% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
| Prospect and Coventry are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 20.9%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±2.2Highest U.S.: 22% |
21.4%±4.1 U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
| Reading and Prospect 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%±2.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
24.5%±4.3Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| Prospect and Reading 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% |
40.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.3%±2 U.S.: 6.4% |
2.9%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
3.5%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $108,213±$5k 34% above U.S. |
$165,912±$13kHighest 106% above U.S. |
$126,394±$18k 57% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S. |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $330,000±$23kLowest about the U.S. average |
$809,000±$22kHighest 143% above U.S. |
$355,400±$21k 7% above U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,232±$330Lowest 13% below U.S. |
$1,991±$273Highest 41% above U.S. |
$1,800±$433 27% above U.S. |
$1,602±$104 13% above U.S. |
| Reading and Prospect are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,284Lowest 69% above U.S. |
$9,320Highest 199% above U.S. |
$6,504 109% above U.S. |
$5,727 84% 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% |
45.3%±31.8 U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest 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% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.7% U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
93.5%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1966 14 yrs older than U.S. |
1960Lowest 20 yrs older than U.S. |
1974 6 yrs older than U.S. |
1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the U.S. average |
31 minHighest 17% above U.S. |
28 min 4% above U.S. |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
| Work from home | 15.6%±4.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
30.2%±4.1Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
10.1%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3 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 | #50 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Coventry School District | Reading | Regional School District 16 | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | Reading Memorial High | None in town | 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.