Compare towns

Mansfield vs Baltic vs Willimantic vs Middletown

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%).
Baltic has the oldest housing (typical home built 1938).
Willimantic has the most kids (20.6% under 18).
Middletown has the highest household income ($79k).
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.

MeasureMansfieldBalticWillimanticMiddletown
People
Population
25,358
1,157Lowest
18,096
47,958Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census —
-5.1%Lowest
CT: +0.9%
+2.3%Highest
CT: +0.9%
+0.1%
CT: +0.9%
Median age
21.2±0.2Lowest
48% below CT
37.8±15.8
8% below CT
31.3±2.7
24% below CT
38.1±1.5Highest
7% below CT
Middletown and Baltic are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18
9.2%±1.6Lowest
CT: 20.2%
15.5%±10.8
CT: 20.2%
20.6%±2.5Highest
CT: 20.2%
14.3%±1.3
CT: 20.2%
Willimantic and Baltic 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%
15.6%±5.2
CT: 18.5%
11%±1.7Lowest
CT: 18.5%
16.5%±1.3Highest
CT: 18.5%
Middletown and Baltic 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%
16.1%Lowest
CT: 42.5%
24.2%
CT: 42.5%
40.2%
CT: 42.5%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents
57%±2.5Highest
CT: 7.1%
0.5%±1.4Lowest
CT: 7.1%
19.1%±2.1
CT: 7.1%
15.5%±1.4
CT: 7.1%
Cost of living
Household incomemedian
$72,393±$12k
24% below CT
$68,958±$47k
28% below CT
$45,962±$7kLowest
52% below CT
$79,438±$6kHighest
17% below CT
Middletown and Mansfield are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied
$335,400±$20kHighest
9% below CT
$196,200±$27k
47% below CT
$190,900±$17kLowest
48% below CT
$295,300±$11k
20% below CT
Rentmedian gross, monthly
$1,602±$104Highest
8% above CT
$1,247±$141
16% below CT
$1,063±$68Lowest
29% below CT
$1,446±$45
about the CT average
Property taxmedian, yearly
$5,727
14% below CT
$3,799Lowest
43% below CT
$4,678
30% below CT
$6,412Highest
3% below CT
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent
76%±9.6Highest
CT: 52.6%
29.3%±13.7Lowest
CT: 52.6%
55.9%±8.1
CT: 52.6%
47.7%±5.3
CT: 52.6%
Below poverty line
21.6%
CT: 10%
11.6%Lowest
CT: 10%
23.4%Highest
CT: 10%
12%
CT: 10%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes
57.3%Highest
CT: 66.5%
37.8%
CT: 66.5%
34.9%Lowest
CT: 66.5%
52.9%
CT: 66.5%
Typical home builtmedian year
1976Highest
9 yrs newer than CT
1938Lowest
29 yrs older than CT
1953
14 yrs older than CT
1972
5 yrs newer than CT
Getting to work
Average commuteone way
21 minLowest
22% below CT
28 minHighest
6% above CT
23 min
12% below CT
23 min
12% below CT
Work from home
28.3%±3.3Highest
CT: 16%
5.2%±4.6Lowest
CT: 16%
6.2%±2
CT: 16%
14.1%±1.8
CT: 16%
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #45 of 149 in CT — — #121 of 149 in CT
School district Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District — — Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services
High school in town E. O. Smith High School — — Middletown High School
Students per teacherat that high school
11.8
— —
11.8
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.