What stands out worked out from the figures below

Mansfield has the most people working from home (28.3%).

Ashford has the most kids (18.5% 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.

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

Measure	Mansfield	Ashford
People
Population	25,358Highest	4,226Lowest
Median age	21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT	37.9±10.3Highest 8% below CT
Kids under 18	9.2%±1.6Lowest CT: 20.2%	18.5%±5.5Highest CT: 20.2%
Age 65+	11%±1.5Lowest CT: 18.5%	18.9%±3.7Highest CT: 18.5%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+	57.9%Highest CT: 42.5%	35.3%Lowest CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents	57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1%	4.4%±1.7Lowest CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian	$72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT	$121,926±$23kHighest 27% above CT
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied	$335,400±$20kHighest 9% below CT	$334,800±$18kLowest 9% below CT
	Mansfield and Ashford 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	$1,246±$208Lowest 16% below CT
Property taxmedian, yearly	$5,727Lowest 14% below CT	$6,982Highest 5% above CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent	76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6%	47%±26Lowest CT: 52.6%
	Mansfield and Ashford 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%	5.4%Lowest CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes	57.3%Lowest CT: 66.5%	76.8%Highest CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year	1976Lowest 9 yrs newer than CT	1982Highest 15 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way	21 minLowest 22% below CT	34 minHighest 30% above CT
Work from home	28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16%	19.3%±5.5Lowest CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading	#45 of 149 in CT	#90 of 149 in CT
School district	Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District	Ashford School District
High school in town	E. O. Smith High School	None in town
Students per teacherat that high school	11.8	—
On TownTapestry
Old photos in History	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.