Compare towns
Hamden vs Mansfield vs Suffield vs Willimantic
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%).
Suffield has the most homeowners (86.7%).
Willimantic has the most renters (65.1% 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 | Suffield | Willimantic |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 61,045Highest |
25,358 |
15,702Lowest |
18,096 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | — | — | — | +2.3% CT: +0.9% |
| Median age | 38.7±0.9 6% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
44.5±1.7Highest 8% above CT |
31.3±2.7 24% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 17%±1.5 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±2 CT: 20.2% |
20.6%±2.5Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Willimantic and Hamden 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% |
18.4%±2.2Highest CT: 18.5% |
11%±1.7Lowest CT: 18.5% |
| Suffield and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 47.8% CT: 42.5% |
57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
40.4% CT: 42.5% |
24.2%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
4.4%±1.2Lowest CT: 7.1% |
19.1%±2.1 CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,306±$7k about the CT average |
$72,393±$12k 24% below CT |
$119,472±$13kHighest 25% above CT |
$45,962±$7kLowest 52% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $298,200±$9k 19% below CT |
$335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$407,500±$26kHighest 11% above CT |
$190,900±$17kLowest 48% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$1,424±$141 4% below CT |
$1,063±$68Lowest 29% below CT |
| 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 |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$6,456 about the CT average |
$4,678Lowest 30% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±5.4Lowest CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
51%±4.6 CT: 52.6% |
55.9%±8.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 9.3% CT: 10% |
21.6% CT: 10% |
4.6%Lowest CT: 10% |
23.4%Highest CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4% CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
86.7%Highest CT: 66.5% |
34.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1979Highest 12 yrs newer than CT |
1953Lowest 14 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
26 minHighest 3% below CT |
23 min 12% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
18.4%±4.1 CT: 16% |
6.2%±2Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #122 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #57 of 149 in CT | — |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Suffield School District | — |
| High school in town | Hamden High School | E. O. Smith High School | Suffield High School | — |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.8 |
10.9Lowest |
— |
| 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.