Compare towns
Mansfield vs Andover vs Plainfield
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%).
Andover has the highest household income ($135k).
Plainfield has the most kids (19.4% 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 | Mansfield | Andover | Plainfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 25,358Highest |
3,152Lowest |
15,141 |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
51.2±5.4Highest 25% above CT |
37±4.5 10% below CT |
| Kids under 18 | 9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2% |
16.2%±4.4 CT: 20.2% |
19.4%±2.6Highest CT: 20.2% |
| Plainfield and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5% |
19.2%±5.1Highest CT: 18.5% |
16.6%±2.4 CT: 18.5% |
| Andover and Plainfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9%Highest CT: 42.5% |
46.5% CT: 42.5% |
15%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
8.2%±4.1 CT: 7.1% |
5.6%±1.8Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$134,632±$20kHighest 41% above CT |
$76,993±$8k 20% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$376,500±$36kHighest about the CT average |
$272,100±$16kLowest 26% below CT |
| Andover and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104Highest 8% above CT |
$1,166±$745Lowest 22% below CT |
$1,204±$70 19% below CT |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $5,727 14% below CT |
$6,554Highest about the CT average |
$4,209Lowest 37% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
60.8%±38.4 CT: 52.6% |
39.8%±9.5Lowest CT: 52.6% |
| Mansfield and Andover are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
1.8%Lowest CT: 10% |
8.7% CT: 10% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
93.1%Highest CT: 66.5% |
73.6% CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976 9 yrs newer than CT |
1977Highest 10 yrs newer than CT |
1971Lowest 4 yrs newer than CT |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below CT |
25 min 5% below CT |
27 minHighest about the CT average |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
15.5%±5.4 CT: 16% |
10%±4Lowest CT: 16% |
| Schools | |||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | #43 of 149 in CT | #131 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Andover School District | Plainfield School District |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | None in town | Plainfield High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8Highest |
— | 10.3Lowest |
| 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.