Compare towns
Hamden vs Mansfield vs New Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Hamden has the highest household income ($98k).
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
New Haven has the most renters (71.6% rent).
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 | Hamden | Mansfield | New Haven |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 61,045 |
25,358Lowest |
134,349Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | +3.3% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 38.7±0.9Highest 6% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
31.9±0.5 22% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±1.5 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
21.3%±1Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±1.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
11.8%±0.8 CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
38.9%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
14.9%±0.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $98,306±$7kHighest about the CT average |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$56,851±$4kLowest 41% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $298,200±$9k 19% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$287,100±$16kLowest 22% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$1,488±$33Lowest about the CT average |
| Hamden and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $7,784Highest 17% above CT |
$5,727Lowest 14% below CT |
$6,430 3% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±5.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
56.6%±3.2 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 9.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
23.9%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4%Highest CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
28.4%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1954Lowest 13 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 22 minHighest 18% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
22 min 19% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
13.9%±1.6Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #122 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #145 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Common Ground High School District · Elm City Montessori School District |
| High school in town | Hamden High School | E. O. Smith High School | Wilbur Cross High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5 |
11.8Lowest |
13.7Highest |
| 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.