Compare towns
Hamden vs Mansfield vs Plainfield vs North Haven
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against Connecticut.
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).
Plainfield has the most affordable homes ($272k median).
North Haven has the highest household income ($133k).
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 | Plainfield | North Haven |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 61,045Highest |
25,358 |
15,141Lowest |
24,336 |
| Median age | 38.7±0.9 6% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
45.7±1.3Highest 11% above CT |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±1.5 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6 CT: 20.2% |
21.5%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| North Haven and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 18.1%±1.3 CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
22.3%±2.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
46.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
4.5%±1.3Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,306±$7k about the CT average |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
$132,689±$7kHighest 39% above CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $298,200±$9k 19% below CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
$393,200±$15kHighest 7% above CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$1,204±$70Lowest 19% below CT |
$1,720±$127 16% above CT |
| Hamden and North Haven 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 |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
$6,964 5% above CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
45.2%±10 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 9.3% CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
4.1%Lowest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4% CT: 66.5% |
57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
81.3%Highest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1971 4 yrs newer than CT |
1964Lowest 3 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
22 min 18% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
14.9%±2.8 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #122 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT | #84 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Plainfield School District | Area Cooperative Educational Services · North Haven School District |
| High school in town | Hamden High School | E. O. Smith High School | Plainfield High School | North Haven High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.8 |
10.3Lowest |
11.0 |
| 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.