Compare towns
Coventry vs Mansfield vs Windham vs Sterling
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 oldest population (median age 44).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k median).
Sterling has the most kids (22.8% under 18).
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 | Windham | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 35,907Highest |
25,358 |
23,961 |
3,629Lowest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +1.9% U.S.: +7.4% |
— | — | — |
| Median age | 44±1.1Highest 13% above U.S. |
21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S. |
33.7±1.9 13% below U.S. |
39.4±5.9 about the U.S. average |
| Coventry and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 18.2%±1.8 U.S.: 22% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22% |
20.1%±2.4 U.S.: 22% |
22.8%±5.9Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Sterling and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 19.2%±1.6Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
14.3%±1.9 U.S.: 17.2% |
13%±3.8 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 31.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
57.9%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
22.7% U.S.: 35.7% |
18%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.5%±1.2 U.S.: 6.4% |
57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
15.2%±1.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $102,946±$8kHighest 28% above U.S. |
$72,393±$12k 10% below U.S. |
$55,736±$5kLowest 31% below U.S. |
$102,695±$12k 27% above U.S. |
| Coventry and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $356,200±$11kHighest 7% above U.S. |
$335,400±$20k about the U.S. average |
$209,800±$9kLowest 37% below U.S. |
$283,400±$17k 15% below U.S. |
| Coventry and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,206±$155 15% below U.S. |
$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S. |
$1,107±$69Lowest 22% below U.S. |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,099 63% above U.S. |
$5,727Highest 84% above U.S. |
$4,633 49% above U.S. |
$4,551Lowest 46% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 51.5%±11.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
57.1%±8.1 U.S.: 51.1% |
32%±18.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Below poverty line | 7.4%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
20.7% U.S.: 12.5% |
8.3% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 82%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
57.3% U.S.: 65.2% |
47.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
81.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 7 yrs older than U.S. |
1976 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1956Lowest 24 yrs older than U.S. |
1988Highest 8 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 26 min about the U.S. average |
21 minLowest 22% below U.S. |
24 min 8% below U.S. |
35 minHighest 34% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 11.3%±2.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
28.3%±3.3Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
11.6%±6.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #24 of 38 in RI | #45 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Coventry | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Eastern Connecticut Regional Educational Service Center (EAS | Sterling School District |
| High school in town | Coventry High School | E. O. Smith High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 12.3Highest |
11.8 |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.