Compare towns
Franklin vs Mansfield vs Windham vs Sterling
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Franklin has the most kids (27.2% under 18).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Windham has the most affordable homes ($210k 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 | Franklin | Mansfield | Windham | Sterling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 2,004Lowest |
25,358Highest |
23,961 |
3,629 |
| Median age | 40.3±4.3Highest about the CT average |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
33.7±1.9 18% below CT |
39.4±5.9 4% below CT |
| Franklin and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 27.2%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
20.1%±2.4 CT: 20.2% |
22.8%±5.9 CT: 20.2% |
| Franklin and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±1.9Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
13%±3.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Franklin and Windham are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
22.7% CT: 42.5% |
18%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
15.2%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
3.7%±1.9Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $105,000±$10kHighest 10% above CT |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$55,736±$5kLowest 42% below CT |
$102,695±$12k 7% above CT |
| Franklin and Sterling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,200±$20k 11% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$209,800±$9kLowest 43% below CT |
$283,400±$17k 23% below CT |
| Mansfield and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $767±$529Lowest 48% below CT |
$1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,107±$69 26% below CT |
— |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,934Lowest 41% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$4,633 30% below CT |
$4,551 31% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.5%±18.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
57.1%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
32%±18.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 8.7% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
20.7% CT: 10% |
8.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
47.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
81.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 6 yrs newer than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1956Lowest 11 yrs older than CT |
1988Highest 21 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 27 min about the CT average |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
24 min 8% below CT |
35 minHighest 34% above CT |
| Work from home | 6.8%±2.4 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
6.1%±1.7Lowest CT: 16% |
11.6%±6.4 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #45 of 149 in CT | #143 of 149 in CT | #119 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Franklin School District | 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 | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Windham High School | None in town |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
9.8Lowest |
— |
| 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.