Compare towns
Hamden vs Mansfield vs Windsor Locks vs Manchester
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%).
Windsor Locks has the most homeowners (77.1%).
Manchester has the most kids (20% under 18).
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 | Windsor Locks | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 61,045Highest |
25,358 |
12,579Lowest |
59,635 |
| Median age | 38.7±0.9 6% below CT |
21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
41.4±2.6Highest about the CT average |
37±1.2 10% below CT |
| Windsor Locks and Hamden are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Kids under 18 | 17%±1.5 CT: 20.2% |
9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
18.6%±3.4 CT: 20.2% |
20%±1.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Manchester and Windsor Locks 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% |
18.2%±2.7Highest CT: 18.5% |
15.5%±1.2 CT: 18.5% |
| Windsor Locks 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% |
28.6%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
40.5% CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 15%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
5.9%±1.8 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $98,306±$7kHighest about the CT average |
$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$81,205±$13k 15% below CT |
$86,840±$4k 9% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $298,200±$9k 19% below CT |
$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT |
$258,800±$14k 29% below CT |
$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT |
$1,602±$104 8% above CT |
$1,394±$187Lowest 6% below CT |
$1,519±$66 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 |
$5,727 14% below CT |
$3,688Lowest 44% below CT |
$5,652 15% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
58.2%±16.8 CT: 52.6% |
48.1%±6.1Lowest 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 | 9.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
10.9% CT: 10% |
10.8% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 62.4% CT: 66.5% |
57.3% CT: 66.5% |
77.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1961Lowest 6 yrs older than CT |
1962 5 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 22 min 18% below CT |
21 minLowest 22% below CT |
22 min 17% below CT |
23 minHighest 15% below CT |
| Work from home | 16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
17.7%±3.7 CT: 16% |
14.3%±1.9Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #122 of 149 in CT | #45 of 149 in CT | #109 of 149 in CT | #135 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Windsor Locks School District | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District |
| High school in town | Hamden High School | E. O. Smith High School | Windsor Locks High School | Manchester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 13.5Highest |
11.8 |
8.9Lowest |
11.1 |
| 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.