Compare towns
Ellington vs Mansfield vs Colchester
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Ellington has the most kids (24% under 18).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Colchester has the oldest population (median age 43.5).
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 | Ellington | Mansfield | Colchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 16,455 |
25,358Highest |
15,648Lowest |
| Median age | 40.9±2.4 about the CT average |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
43.5±3.8Highest 6% above CT |
| Colchester and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 24%±3.2Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.7%±2.8 CT: 20.2% |
| Ellington and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 18.8%±2.8 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
20.3%±2.4Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Colchester and Ellington are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 51.4% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
49.7%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 6%±2.2 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.6%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $129,913±$17kHighest 36% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$122,390±$14k 28% above CT |
| Ellington and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $366,900±$17kHighest about the CT average |
$335,400±$20kLowest 9% below CT |
$366,800±$16k about the CT average |
| Ellington and Colchester are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,737±$212Highest 17% above CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$1,474±$153Lowest about the CT average |
| Ellington and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $6,751Highest about the CT average |
$5,727Lowest 14% below CT |
$6,212 6% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 45.5%±10.3 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
44.4%±10.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 2.4%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
3.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 72.2% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
76.5%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1982 15 yrs newer than CT |
1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1984Highest 17 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 31 minHighest 18% above CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
30 min 14% above CT |
| Work from home | 18.4%±3.9Lowest CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
18.4%±3.8Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #46 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #64 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Ellington School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Colchester School District |
| High school in town | Ellington High School | E. O. Smith High School | Bacon Academy |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 10.3 |
11.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | 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.