Compare towns
Franklin vs Mansfield vs Windsor Locks
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%).
Windsor Locks has the most affordable homes ($259k 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 | Windsor Locks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 2,004Lowest |
25,358Highest |
12,579 |
| Median age | 40.3±4.3 about the CT average |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
41.4±2.6Highest about the CT average |
| Windsor Locks and Franklin 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% |
18.6%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
| Franklin and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 17.4%±1.9 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
18.2%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Windsor Locks and Franklin are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 27.8%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
28.6% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.2%±1.4Lowest CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $105,000±$10kHighest 10% above CT |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $326,200±$20k 11% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$258,800±$14kLowest 29% 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 |
$1,394±$187 6% below CT |
| Mansfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,934 41% below CT |
$5,727Highest 14% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 19.5%±18.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8 CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Windsor Locks are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 8.7%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 84.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
77.1% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1973 6 yrs newer than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 27 minHighest about the CT average |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
| Work from home | 6.8%±2.4Lowest CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7 CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | — | #45 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Franklin School District | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Windsor Locks School District |
| High school in town | None in town | E. O. Smith High School | Windsor Locks High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | — | 11.8Highest |
8.9Lowest |
| 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.