What stands out worked out from the figures below

Harvard has the highest household income ($214k).

Mansfield has the most affordable homes ($335k 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.

Raising kidsAffordabilityOwning a homeShort commuteWorking from homeYounger crowdSettled, older crowdGrowing town

Measure	Harvard	Mansfield
People
Population	6,927Lowest	25,358Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census	+5.1% U.S.: +7.4%	—
Median age	44.1±4.7Highest 13% above U.S.	21.2±0.2Lowest 46% below U.S.
Kids under 18	21.1%±4.5Highest U.S.: 22%	9.2%±1.6Lowest U.S.: 22%
Age 65+	16.3%±2.8Highest U.S.: 17.2%	11%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 17.2%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	62%Highest U.S.: 35.7%	57.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	3.8%±1.5Lowest U.S.: 6.4%	57%±2.5Highest U.S.: 6.4%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$213,996±$24kHighest 165% above U.S.	$72,393±$12kLowest 10% below U.S.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$833,600±$54kHighest 151% above U.S.	$335,400±$20kLowest about the U.S. average
Rentmedian gross, monthly	$1,321±$424Lowest 7% below U.S.	$1,602±$104Highest 13% above U.S.
	Mansfield and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly	$10,000+Highest at least 221% above U.S.	$5,727Lowest 84% above U.S.
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	72.5%±51.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1%	76%±9.6Highest U.S.: 51.1%
	Mansfield and Harvard are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line	4.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5%	21.6%Highest U.S.: 12.5%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	89.4%Highest U.S.: 65.2%	57.3%Lowest U.S.: 65.2%
Typical home builtmedian year	1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S.	1976Highest 4 yrs older than U.S.
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	32 minHighest 20% above U.S.	21 minLowest 22% below U.S.
Work from home	44.8%±6.1Highest U.S.: 15.1%	28.3%±3.3Lowest U.S.: 15.1%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#12 of 282 in MA	#45 of 149 in CT
School district	Harvard	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District
High school in town	The Bromfield High School	E. O. Smith High School
Students per teacherat that high school	11.0Lowest	11.8Highest
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	12 photos →	None yet

U.S. 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.