Compare towns
Mansfield vs Bethany vs Hamden vs Manchester
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%).
Bethany has the highest household income ($166k).
Manchester has the most affordable homes ($247k 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.
| Measure | Mansfield | Bethany | Hamden | Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 25,358 |
5,288Lowest |
61,045Highest |
59,635 |
| Median age | 21.2±0.2Lowest 48% below CT |
42.5±2.9Highest 3% above CT |
38.7±0.9 6% below CT |
37±1.2 10% below CT |
| Bethany and Hamden 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% |
20.3%±5.9Highest CT: 20.2% |
17%±1.5 CT: 20.2% |
20%±1.6 CT: 20.2% |
| Bethany and Manchester 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% |
17.2%±4.2 CT: 18.5% |
18.1%±1.3Highest CT: 18.5% |
15.5%±1.2 CT: 18.5% |
| Hamden and Bethany are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 57.9% CT: 42.5% |
58%Highest CT: 42.5% |
47.8% CT: 42.5% |
40.5%Lowest CT: 42.5% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 57%±2.5Highest CT: 7.1% |
6.8%±3.7 CT: 7.1% |
15%±1.1 CT: 7.1% |
5.5%±0.7Lowest CT: 7.1% |
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $72,393±$12kLowest 24% below CT |
$166,236±$20kHighest 74% above CT |
$98,306±$7k about the CT average |
$86,840±$4k 9% below CT |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $335,400±$20k 9% below CT |
$418,000±$42kHighest 14% above CT |
$298,200±$9k 19% below CT |
$247,100±$6kLowest 33% below CT |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,602±$104 8% above CT |
— | $1,746±$50Highest 17% above CT |
$1,519±$66Lowest 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 | $5,727 14% below CT |
$8,313Highest 25% above CT |
$7,784 17% above CT |
$5,652Lowest 15% below CT |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 76%±9.6Highest CT: 52.6% |
0%±100Lowest CT: 52.6% |
50.9%±5.4 CT: 52.6% |
48.1%±6.1 CT: 52.6% |
| Below poverty line | 21.6%Highest CT: 10% |
2.3%Lowest CT: 10% |
9.3% CT: 10% |
10.8% CT: 10% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 57.3% CT: 66.5% |
97.2%Highest CT: 66.5% |
62.4% CT: 66.5% |
56.9%Lowest CT: 66.5% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Highest 9 yrs newer than CT |
1970 3 yrs newer than CT |
1964 3 yrs older than CT |
1962Lowest 5 yrs older than CT |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 21 minLowest 22% below CT |
32 minHighest 21% above CT |
22 min 18% below CT |
23 min 15% below CT |
| Work from home | 28.3%±3.3Highest CT: 16% |
12%±5.2Lowest CT: 16% |
16.3%±2.1 CT: 16% |
14.3%±1.9 CT: 16% |
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #45 of 149 in CT | #30 of 149 in CT | #122 of 149 in CT | #135 of 149 in CT |
| School district | Regional School District 19 · Mansfield School District | Bethany School District · Regional School District 05 | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Area Cooperative Educational Services | Connecticut Technical Education and Career System · Odyssey Community School District |
| High school in town | E. O. Smith High School | None in town | Hamden High School | Manchester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.8 |
— | 13.5Highest |
11.1Lowest |
| 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.